The family of a severely diabetic man, who authorities claim died due to the actions of a nurse overseeing his care, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the facility where he resided. They allege that the facility allowed the nurse to mistreat and bully him, leading to his death.
Former nursing home nurse Heather Pressdee has been charged with administering excessive doses of insulin to patients, resulting in the death of 17 individuals.
She is accused of mistreating a total of 22 patients, diabetic and non-diabetic, by administering dangerous doses at five different care facilities between 2020 and this year, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
A new lawsuit has been filed against Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Butler County, Pennsylvania, where Nicholas Cymbol passed away on May 1, 2023.
The lawsuit alleges negligence on the part of the center and its operator for failing to train employees to recognize and report abuse, as well as for not removing Pressdee from Cymbol’s care despite her abusive behavior towards him.
Cymbol, 43, was a resident at Sunnyview and required constant care due to his medical conditions. Pressdee, who was hired in January 2023, was responsible for his care and allegedly mistreated him along with other residents.
Despite warning signs and previous incidents, Pressdee continued to care for Cymbol until his death, which occurred after she administered a lethal dose of insulin that led to his hypoglycemic crisis.
The lawsuit also highlights the failures of Sunnyview in hiring Pressdee despite her troubled past and erratic behavior while working at the facility.
Pressdee’s arrest and charges
Pressdee was arrested weeks after Cymbol’s death and charged with multiple counts of criminal homicide and neglect for her actions at various facilities.
The criminal investigation into Pressdee is ongoing, and the lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the victims and their families.
“We were hired by the families of Heather Pressdee’s victims to get answers as to how she was permitted to continue working in these facilities, despite her erratic, disturbing, and abusive behavior,” said attorney Rob Peirce.
