HOUSTON – A Houston family is suing a non-emergency transport company for wrongful death after a driver dropped off a wheelchair-bound patient at the wrong address and left him in a driveway on a hot summer day.
Attorney Randy Sorrels says the temperature was around 97 degrees on August 19, 2020 when 67-year-old Vernon Roberson was left for hours outside before a neighbor called 911.
The lawsuit names Dexter Brown, a non-emergency ambulance driver, and The Rightway Medical Transportation, LLC.
Mr. Roberson received a regularly scheduled dialysis and was transported to and from the clinic by The Rightway Medical Transportation.
According to the lawsuit, Mr. Brown was assigned to pick up Mr. Roberson from the clinic and drop him off at his home address -- the same address where he had been picked up earlier in the day.
Instead, Sorrels says the driver dropped him off two doors down.
“They literally they dropped him off, put him in the driveway and drove off without checking with anyone to make sure they were in the right spot. Left him there with no one to receive him,” Sorrels told KPRC 2 News.
Sorrels says Mr. Roberson was rushed to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with septic shock and was discharged a month later. He passed away October 31, 2020.
The driver, Dexter Brown, Sr., told KPRC 2 News he believed he had dropped Mr. Roberson at the right home based on his GPS. He added that he had a conversation with Roberson, who he says told him someone would come get him from the driveway.
“What could’ve been an easy trip to the facility and trip back home that turned into something more than it needed to be,” said Shaniesha Roberson, Vernon’s daughter.
The lawsuit seeks at least $1,000,000 in damages.
“Something needs to be done about this. I don’t want anyone else to go through this,” said Roberson’s wife Stephanie.
The owner of The Rightway Medical Transportation, Shicresia Mosely, told KPRC 2 News she disputes the allegations in the lawsuit and will show proof in court.