Elderly Woman Sets Herself On Fire
In El Paso, TX an 83-year-old woman has suffered first and second degree burns on her hands and face just outside of the Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home. Fire officials stated that the woman was smoking in her wheelchair outside of the home when her cigarette fell onto her clothes and burst into flames.
Luckily one of the workers saw the incident and ran out to help the woman. He took off his shirt and put it over the woman in order to put out the fire. According to the fire officials, workers stated that they wheeled the woman out daily for her to smoke near the front of the entrance of the building where they are allowed to smoke. It is unknown whether the woman was supervised at all while smoking. The medical staff stated that the woman did not suffer from Alzheimer's disease and was therefore not required to have a supervisor while she was smoking. The woman is currently in the hospital receiving treatment for her injuries.
It is unfortunate that the worker's of this facility justify not supervising the woman because she did not suffer from Alzheimers. There are plenty of medications and different ailments that can cause disorientation and cause her to drop her cigarette. It is up to the supervisors of the medical facility to look after their residents and make sure that the safety of their residents is never compromised. If your loved one was injured at a care or resident facility then you may want to discuss your options for compensation with a professional.
