By David Weiss
WILKES-BARRE -The estate of a 76-year-old man who fell and bled to death was awarded $800,000 in a settlement Wednesday. Edward J. Pucylowski Jr., administrator to the estate of Edward J. Pucylowski Sr., filed suit in 1998 against Mary Alice Vehoski and her nursing-care organization, Nurses Per Diem.
Vehoski, according to the suit, had been contracted to provide the elder Pucylowski with round-the-clock nursing care. But Veboski left Pucylowski Sr. alone and he fell and later died. Vehoski, the suit said, also billed insurers for the care while charging Pucylowski’s family for the care.
According to the suit filed in Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas: Vehoski or a subcontracted nurse was to be with Pucylowski Sr. at all times at his Ashley home.
No one was present when Pucylowski Sr. fell at home on July 3, 1996. The fall caused internal bleeding and death. Veboski has said Pucylowski had a clear mind and chose to have his care cut back to 12 hours a day before his fall.
The settlement, approved by Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Hugh Mundy, calls for attorneys Patrick T. O’Connell and William F. Anzalone to each receive $150,000 for fees in the case.
Vehoski also was indicted on health-care fraud charges. She was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.