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A federal lawsuit filed July 19 claims a St. John’s Heath and others provided inadequate care that resulted in the death of an area resident due to his uninsured and undocumented status.
The suit further claims the incident is the result of the hospital’s policies and practices.
St. John’s Health says they are not able to comment due to the ongoing legal process and patient privacy.
Ociel Perez first sought care for an abscess in July of 2022. But the suit claims that after some care, he was “prematurely released,” which led to an “excruciatingly painful death.”
According to the suit, 47-year-old Perez lived in Jackson for about two decades. He was an active member of the Mountain View Baptist Church and enjoyed taking his two children and wife skiing and hiking.
The lawsuit was filed by his widowed wife. St. Johns Health and other defendants had not yet filed a response with the court as of July 30.
St. John’s Health provides financial support for KHOL, however, our supporters do not shape our coverage.
