'Reckless behavior:' Wife of man who died after catching fire in Nashville hospital sues HCA
The wife of a man who died in a Nashville hospital on Thanksgiving Day last year after catching fire in his bed is suing parent company HCA Healthcare for wrongful death and "reckless" behavior on the part of medical staff.
Bobby Ray Stark, 64, was at TriStar Centennial Medical Center, where he had undergone a balloon lithotripsy surgical procedure, to break up arterial deposits, after a previous amputation of his left foot at TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center, according to the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. He was also blind and had right-sided weakness from an earlier stroke.
On Nov. 24, 2022, medical staff determined that Stark had an irregular heartbeat and needed a defibrillator. At the time, Stark was receiving oxygen through a mask at 100% concentration — effectively creating "an oxygen-rich environment" around him, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit further alleges that medical staff did not properly apply the electrode pads on his chest. Nor did they turn off the oxygen supply to the mask or move the mask away and allow enough time for the oxygen vapor to dissipate, the suit claims.
"According to the hospital staff, the shock from the defibrillator produced an electrical arc that 'traveled up wire' from the defibrillator to the pads," the lawsuit reads. "This sparked a fire and burned Mr. Stark. According to the hospital staff, Mr. Stark 'caught fire.'"
Stark's wife, Kathy Lynn Stark, witnessed the event, the lawsuit said.
A representative for TriStar did not immediately comment on the lawsuit.
Stark suffered burns to his right hand, chest, nose, scalp, face and back, according to the lawsuit. His hair, beard and chest hair were singed, it states. He also suffered burns to his airway and lungs, the lawsuit states. He was later taken to TriStar Skyline Medical Center's burn unit. He died the next day.
Stark's attorneys did not respond to a request for comment.
The Stark family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with expenses and Kathy Lynn Stark's sudden loss.
The suit is asking for punitive and compensatory damages to be determined by a jury.
Frank Gluck is the health care reporter for The Tennessean. He can be reached at fgluck@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter at @FrankGluck.
Want to read more stories like this? A subscription to one of our Tennessee publications gets you unlimited access to all the latest political news, plus newsletters, a personalized mobile experience, and the ability to tap into stories, photos and videos from throughout the USA TODAY Network's daily sites.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Lawsuit filed against HCA after Nashville patient catches fire, dies
