Parents File Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Mercy Health Following Ambulance Crash Fatality
Victoria Bueker and Roger Rector have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Mercy Health in Howell County Circuit Court, stemming from the death of their 18-year-old son, Dakota Rector. The lawsuit alleges severe emergency response failures and medical negligence after Dakota passed away following an ambulance crash. Key claims include that emergency personnel placed a sheet over Dakota before a proper assessment, despite a coroner's report indicating he was still breathing when the sheet was pulled back. The parents are seeking damages, arguing that inadequate care at the scene led to a loss of Dakota's chance of survival, increased suffering, and an acceleration of his death. The suit names individual emergency responders, EMT/driver Dustin Reynolds and paramedic/EMT Allen Buckner, for negligence and failure to render aid. Mercy Health is also implicated under the doctrine of respondeat superior, which holds an employer responsible for the actions of its employees. Defense attorneys for the individuals ...
