A lawsuit claims a hospital’s error led to a choke victim’s death after contacting the wrong family about life support decisions
Vancouver: A tragic mix-up at a hospital led to a man’s death after staff mistakenly contacted the wrong family about life support. David Wells was rushed to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in August 2021 after choking on steak.
Unfortunately, he was confused with his roommate, Mike Beehler. Instead of reaching out to Wells’ family, the hospital called Beehler’s sister, Debbie Danielson, thinking she was the one who needed to make a tough decision.
Danielson was told that the patient was “basically brain dead” and asked if they should pull the plug. She made the heartbreaking choice, only to find out later that it was the wrong patient when her brother called her a week later.
“You can’t be alive. You’re dead!” she exclaimed, shocked to hear his voice. The couple realized they had made life-ending decisions for someone they didn’t even know.
After the mix-up, the hospital reported Beehler’s death, and a notice was published in the local paper. Meanwhile, Wells’ body was sent to a funeral home, which then contacted Beehler’s family about arrangements.
Both families reported the error to the police. The Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed that Wells was the one who had died, not Beehler. Shawn Wells, David’s son, learned about the mistake two years later from reporters.
“I’m at a loss for words how badly they handled this,” he said, expressing his frustration. The families are now suing the hospital for negligence and emotional distress, along with the ambulance service and funeral home for their roles in the error.
They’re seeking damages, hoping to find some justice for the pain caused by this tragic situation.
