A 53-year-old woman from Salem, NH, died last night at a Methuen hospital after National Grid cut the power was at the home, halting her oxygen machine and sending her into a cardiac arrest, the Eagle Tribune reported.
Kay Phaneuf had been hospitalized at Caritas Holy Family Hospital in Methuen since Monday morning. Phaneuf was taken to the hospital by ambulance just 90 minutes after her power got cut off for nonpayment.
Phaneuf’s electricity account had been on a medical emergency “do not shut off” list for the last two years, the article said, which allows residents to have electrical power even if they can’t pay their bill. However, a National Grid spokesperson said that there was a history of lapses in renewing that emergency status at the Phaneuf residence on Charles St. The status was not renewed by the customers earlier this spring, the spokesperson said.
The utility company sent a worker to the home to cut the power due to a delinquent bill on Monday morning. The worker knocked on the door and after receiving no answer, cut off the power. When electricity was cut off, the oxygen machine went down, causing Phaneuf to go into cardiac arrest.
Her husband found her unconscious when he came back to the house about an hour after the power was cut, and called 911. Rescuers who responded to the call found Phaneuf without a pulse.
She was resuscitated and taken to Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, where she had been in critical condition since Monday. Phaneuf died last night.
New Hampshire law calls for people with medical issues to be protected from power shutoffs, the utility company’s spokesperson said, but they must apply for that status and renew it every 60 days. National Grid will review the incident and prepare a report, and so will the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission. The National Grid report is due next week, and its findings will be available to the public.
Debra Howland, the executive director of the commission, said she has never encountered a situation like this before.
“In the last 10 to 15 years, we have not received any reports of disconnection of service that resulted in a situation such as occurred on Monday,” Howland told the Eagle Tribune.
Every year, thousands of families across the country lose a loved one due to negligent acts of individuals or companies. When someone loses a loved one due to the fault of another, the surviving person may bring a wrongful death claim against the person responsible for their loved one’s death.
The lawsuit may be to recover medical expenses, lost wages and other costs that arise from the accident. Unlike criminal charges that might be filed by the government against the negligent person responsible for your family member’s passing, a wrongful death lawsuit is filed by an attorney in a civil court to recover money damages for your loss.
Our team of experienced wrongful death lawyers and medical malpractice attorneys understand the legal implications of a wrongful death lawsuit, and most importantly, we understand your family’s pain. We use our knowledge and resources to build a strong case and secure the compensation your family needs to cope with your loss for years to come.
Over the past 30 years, Thomas Kiley and his legal team have worked with families to secure the emotional and financial support they deserve for the untimely passing of a loved one. Mr. Kiley’s tenacity and unwavering support for his clients has earned him the title of the “Million Dollar Man.”
