CHICAGO (STNG) -- The sister of a deceased woman is suing Northwestern Memorial Hospital on her behalf after the woman committed suicide while in the hospital's care.
According to the suit -- filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court -- Northwestern should have recognized the late patient Karen Graham's risk for self-injury and suicide since she was admitted into the hospital's care on Aug. 5, 2004 after a suicide attempt.
The hospital was negligent in leaving Graham, who expressed regret that her attempt at suicide had been unsuccessful, unsupervised and alone in a room with the means and opportunity to commit suicide, the suit said. Graham took her life on Aug. 6, 2004.
Graham's family -- including sister Karen Graham, who filed the suit, father Gerald Graham, sister Robin Huettl and nephews Ross Huettl and Stuart Huettl -- have suffered pecuniary damages exceeding $50,000 since her death, the suit said.
The two-count suit, claiming wrongful death and survival, seeks an unspecified amount in damages.
The case was previously filed as Huettl v. Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Graham v. Northwestern Memorial Hospital and was dismissed on Oct. 14, 2009.
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