Missouri family files claim in nurse's death from coronavirus

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Attorneys for the family of a Missouri nurse who died from COVID-19 filed a claim for death benefits Monday under the state's workers' compensation laws.

Celia Yap-Banago, 69, died April 21 after caring for a patient with COVID-19 at Research Medical Center in Kansas City. Her family, attorneys and the National United Nurses Union contend she died because she and other nurses at the hospital did not have adequate personal protective equipment while caring for patients with the coronavirus.

Attorneys Brent and Kristie Welder said in a news release Yap-Banago and another nurse cared for a patient with coronavirus on March 22 and 23. Both nurses asked their supervisors for PPE for everyone who came in contact with the patient but the equipment was not provided, the attorneys said.

After the patient died, Yap-Banago quarantined at her home but died after fighting the virus for a month. The other nurse who treated the patient also developed COVID-19 but recovered, the attorneys said.

The claim was filed on behalf of the husband and two sons of Yap-Banago, who worked at Research for 40 years and had been planning to retire in April.

HCA Midwest, which operates Research Medical, issued a statement Tuesday praising Yap-Banago's 40-year career at Research and her impact on her patients and co-workers. The statement did not address the allegations about nurses not having PPE, although the company has denied that in the past. It said HCA Midwest looks forward to a swift resolution of the workers' compensation claim.