Quadriplegic Undocumented Immigrant Dies In Mexico After Being Deported From His Hospital Bed

[kpete]

CHICAGO, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A young man returned to Mexico by a Chicago-area hospital after a construction injury that paralyzed him from the neck down has died, officials say.



Advocates say Quelino Ojeda Jimenez, 21, spent months in a small hospital in Mexico that did not have the facilities to care for a quadriplegic, the Chicago Tribune reported. He was transferred to the General Hospital of Juchitan a month before he died on New Year's Day, Jeromino Ramirez Luis, the new hospital's medical director, said.

"He never even made it to his home," said Jesus Vargas, a friend in Chicago. "He was always in the hospital stuck to the machine that helped him breathe."

Ojeda, who was working illegally in the United States, was treated at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill., after a 20-foot fall paralyzed him. The hospital transferred him to Mexico three days before Christmas in 2010.



Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2012/01/04/Quadriplegic-sent-to-Mexico-dies/UPI-70361325693439/#ixzz1igz8lpUG
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/01/06/398022/quadriplegic-undocumented-immigrant-dies-in-mexico-after-being-deported-from-his-hospital-bed/

[Liberal Veteran]

1. Wow. That's just repulsive.

On so many levels.

[Romulox]

2. Cheap labor advocates (not mention insurance industry defenders) need to own this.

Inviting this young man to this country to work (without ANY safety regulations) is not fucking "compassion".

It's EXPLOITATION.

[msanthrope]

3. Why didn't the Mexican Government pay for his care, here?

I mean, they protested the move, and showed up for the memorial mass, but they couldn't be bothered to pay for his care, or get him to a decent hospital?

Disgusting.


"Ojeda Jimenez's transfer ignited a debate over immigrant rights that was championed by the Mexican consulate in Chicago, whose head official Joaquín Pastrana attended a Mass held in Ojeda Jimenez's honor at a Logan Square church Sunday, along with other activists, according to Fox News Latino.

In light of Ojeda Jimenez's death, Advocate Health Care issued a statement expressing regret for its handling of his case, and announcing plans to work with advocacy groups to reexamine its policies for treating international patients, according to the Tribune. Ojeda Jimenez told the newspaper in February that he feared returning to Mexico because he "need[ed] a lot of things they don't have," a sentiment echoed by relatives and supporters since his death."



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/04/quelino-ojeda-jimnez-quad_n_1183926.html

[Motown_Johnny]

4. Employers should be responsible for the health care of illegal employees

so that this guy could have received the care he needed.


One of the many real problems here is that someone working illegally is not covered by worker's compensation laws. If the company making illegal profits was held accountable they might improve working conditions for them or maybe even try to hire legal workers.

[msanthrope]

5. I agree. His employer should have been held responsible. nt

[Romulox]

6. But we're in constant dangers of crops rotting in the fields (walls going undrywalled) if they are

forced to pay a legal wage!

[Fumesucker]

7. One of the prime reasons undocumenteds get hired is because you don't have to have workmen's comp..

In a lot of the more dangerous trades, roofing and the like, workman's comp is extremely high and getting out of paying it puts a lot of money in the pocket of the employer.

[Tsiyu]

8. It's just a human life lost!

unless you are a racist. Then, not a human.

You're just someone they toss in the trash when they're done using you.

Condolences to his family and all who cared about him.

"Christian nation" my ass.....

[alp227]

9. Prosecute the construction company for hiring Jiminez in the first place,

also investigate for possible workplace safety negligence on the company's part as well.

Also, even an American citizen getting full benefits and working for this company likely couldn't afford paying medical bills if such a worker suffered same injury.