An embattled drug treatment provider is facing more legal troubles.
The Carmel attorney handling former patients’ lawsuit against Praxis Landmark Recovery near Mishawaka this week amended their complaint in two ways: 28 more plaintiffs joined the initial nine. And the lawsuit’s focus has shifted from medical malpractice to negligence and premises liability.
When he first filed the lawsuit July 25, attorney Trevor Crossen said he didn’t realize that Praxis Landmark Recovery was a qualified medical provider under Indiana malpractice law. That means it’s shielded from malpractice claims that exceed $1.5 million in damages.
In addition to compensatory damages, this lawsuit seeks punitive damages, which are typically of a larger dollar amount that’s meant to punish the defendant. The complaint now alleges that patients suffered “severe personal injuries” because of unsafe, unsanitary and hazardous conditions.
He said he is still hearing from people and he expects to add another group of plaintiffs to the Mishawaka case after Labor Day.
“What we know is consistent is all of these former patients were vulnerable,” Crossen said. “They went to these facilities to get help so that they could turn their life around, and instead, for a lot of them their life was turned upside down.”
