Wife compensated in husband’s death

Monday, Dec. 20, 1999 | 11:30 a.m.

Five years ago Rosie Puckett watched her husband die while several nurses attempted to reinsert a tube in his throat so that he could breathe.

On Friday a jury awarded Puckett a $983,000 judgment against Valley Hospital and Medical Center for both her and her husband's pain and suffering and her loss of her husband's companionship.

"It is really difficult to say you're happy (about an award), there just isn't enough money to compensate someone for what they went through. I'm satisfied," said Sam Harding, attorney for Puckett.

Henry Puckett, 67, died July 4, 1994, when his tracheotomy tube slipped out during a routine cleaning while he was a patient at Valley. The nurse who was cleaning the tube attempted to reinsert it into Puckett's neck without the aid of a guide.

Valley Hospital took verbal responsibility for the nurse not using a guide and for no doctor being called to help Puckett for more than an hour, but Sherman Mayor, attorney for the hospital, asked the jury in his closing arguments to award $100,000.