Family of man who died in ER waiting room 'appalled' by premier's comments about lawsuit
CBC
After Premier Blaine Higgs slammed the family of Darrell Mesheau last weekend for naming nurses in the lawsuit over their father's death, Mesheau's son is speaking out.
"I feel that I am forced to speak up," Ryan Mesheau said in an emailed statement to CBC News.
"I became quickly appalled because of the misinformation that Premier Higgs chose to spread in his statements, seeming to use the death of my father for what appeared to be a self-serving attempt to gain political points."
Susan Mesheau, executor of the estate of her brother Darrell Mesheau filed a notice of action against Horizon Health and two nurses who were on shift at a Fredericton emergency room the night he died.
Darrell Mesheau, 78, sat in the waiting room of the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital emergency room for about seven hours before he was discovered unresponsive around 4:30 a.m. on July 12, 2022.
The notice names Danielle Othen, a registered nurse who triaged Mesheau, and April Knowles, a licensed practical nurse with the task of monitoring patients.
Last Saturday, Higgs issued a statement criticizing the Mesheau family for naming individual nurses in the lawsuit and called them to reconsider.
"There was an inquiry into Mr. Mesheau's death, which highlighted important changes that needed to be made. … The inquiry did not find any instances of negligence on the part of these nurses," Higgs said in the statement. "To suggest otherwise by naming them in the lawsuit is unacceptable."
Ryan Mesheau took issue with that part of Higgs's statement, calling it untrue.
A coroner's inquest does not determine guilt. It hears evidence about the circumstances of a death and makes recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.
"As I'm sure the Premier is aware, the inquest into my father's death did not determine that no negligence occurred," said Mesheau, adding the family had no choice but to name individuals.
Higgs also pledged legislation, if re-elected, that "further protects health-care professionals from being named in lawsuits," he said, noting the health minister would begin consultation with union leadership.
When reached by phone Friday, Mesheau declined to be interviewed about his statement but confirmed that the family is continuing with the lawsuit as it stands.
Mesheau said he and his family sent Higgs a letter in May following the coroner's inquest.
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