Jay W. Belle Isle - September 1, 2015
Psych ward escapee dies in traffic, court rules medical malpractice. After Ashley Lawson, patient as Shands Vista psychiatric hospital, stole an employee’s badge and keys, she escaped and fled onto Interstate 75 where she was killed when a truck hit her. Her estate sued the hospital for negligence, but the 1st District Court of Appeal ruled that it properly sounded in medical malpractice. This resulted in the case being dismissed as the estate didn’t meet the notice provisions for a medmal case. However, it was dismissed without prejudice, meaning the estate can try again.