A 79-year-old found with maggots in her wound at a care facility later died, lawsuit alleges
The estate of a 79-year-old who died after she allegedly developed an ulcer that became infected with maggots at a Tacoma care facility has sued the company.
Evelyn Arambula was admitted to the Heartwood Extended Health Care facility in May 2017 after she contracted shingles, a lawyer for her estate said.
“Heartwood staff, according to their own records, failed to turn Ms. Arambula regularly, causing pressure ulcers on both heels,” attorney James Gooding told The News Tribune via email. “... Due to not changing the wound dressing regularly, the ulcers became infected with maggots.”
She died in November of that year.
Heartwood’s attorneys did not respond to The News Tribune’s request for comment about the lawsuit.
The complaint, which seeks unspecified damages, was filed April 27 in Pierce County Superior Court.
It alleges Arambula developed the ulcers after about two months at the facility.
“Orders were given to clean and dress wounds every 3 days and as needed,” the lawsuit says.
When Heartwood staff changed the dressing on her left heel in September 2017, 25 maggots were allegedly removed from the wound.
Arambula was taken to a hospital, where, “Another 25 maggots were documented by emergency department staff,” the lawsuit says.
She stayed at the hospital until her death, which was due to respiratory failure.
“Conditions contributing to her death were documented as encephalopathy from uremia, hypercapnia, renal failure, decubitus ulcer, sepsis and multifocal pneumonia,” the lawsuit says. “As a direct and proximate result of the Defendants’ negligence, carelessness and disregard for human life, Ms. Arambula suffered severe physical and emotional injuries and death due to the injuries, abandonment and abuse she suffered while at Heartwood.”
Gooding said Arambula “was recommended for a below the knee amputation, which her family declined due to her failing health.”
He called Arambula’s injury preventable and said it “happened due to a pattern of neglect and inattention on the part of Heartwood’s staff.”
