Woman Dies In Buckhead Hotel After Days Of Negligence: Lawsuit

BUCKHEAD, GA — A woman died after days of negligence and deception by an Atlanta hotel and staff located in the Buckhead neighborhood, according to a wrongful death, liability lawsuit that was filed Monday.

Joanne Friis Burson died on October 4, 2018 after days of negligence at the Residence Inn, located at 2200 Lake Boulevard said Lloyd Bell of Bell Law Firm.

Burson was a months-long resident of the Residence Inn. In the weeklong period between September 25 and October 2 of 2018, having unexpectedly not heard from her mother, daughter Natalie Burson repeatedly asked staff working at the Residence Inn to initiate a wellness check for her mother’s safety. The suit states that each time, staff members agreed to do so and then falsely assured Burson of her mother’s wellbeing.

The Residence Inn refused to allow Natalie Burson to check on her mother personally, the suit states. Eventually, Natalie threatened to call police on Residence Inn staff if she did not speak with her mother at once. Shortly after that warning, Natalie received a phone call saying her mother had suffered a fall and was being taken to the hospital.

At the hospital, doctors found a hip wound so deep and old it had become covered with maggots. The suit states that, according to a doctor, Joanne Burson must have been lying on the floor of the Residence Inn for days.

On October 4, 2018 Joanne died from her injuries. Daughter Natalie Burson was later contacted by the Residence Inn’s insurance company, which offered to pay Natalie to waive any legal action. The suit states that Natalie asked to see the Incident Report, to find out exactly what happened to her mother. According to the suit, the insurance company told Natalie she would never see the Incident Report.

Today, two years later, Natalie has filed a lawsuit to uncover the truth and to hold accountable those who gave false assurances of Joanne’s safety while preventing her daughter from checking on her personally, said Bell.

“Joanne Burson’s ordeal in the Residence Inn was a real-life nightmare,” states Lloyd Bell. “Time and again Natalie called tried to make sure her mother was safe. Time and again the Residence Inn gave Natalie false assurances — while Joanne lay injured on the floor of the Residence Inn, with vermin eating flesh in her hip. We hope that through legal action, we can bring the truth to light, create accountability for wrongdoing, and help prevent such nightmares from happening to anyone else. And by doing this, to let Joanne’s family move forward, knowing that the dignity and value of Joanne’s life has been vindicated.”