A poster at a news conference hosted by the Schara family March 30, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A November, 2024 trial date was set Friday for a wrongful death lawsuit filed in connection with the death of Grace Schara at Ascension St. Elizabeth Hospital, but exactly what issues will be decided must still be determined.
Schara’s family — which has posted multiple billboards about the case — claims the doctors and nurses who cared for the 19-year-old during a hospitalization, violated her patient rights when they listed her as a DNR, or do not resuscitate, without consent. They also say she was given a lethal cocktail of drugs that led to her death in October 2021. And when family members asked for doctors to step in and save the young woman, they did nothing. Ascension St. Elizabeth has denied the claims, and made arguments about why the case should be dismissed.
At least two weeks are planned for the trial, starting Nov. 4, 2024.
During Friday’s motion hearing, Judge Mark McGinnis agreed that the state Dept. of Health Services could be dismissed from the case as a defendant.
Also, the plaintiffs were given two weeks to file an amended lawsuit. The new version will not include claims regarding loss of society & companionship for an adult child, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, as those are not allowed.
Other pending motions to dismiss will be argued in the coming months.
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