TUSCALOOSA, AL — DCH Health Care Authority has asked a Tuscaloosa County judge to dismiss it from a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the fatal shooting of nurse and case manager Ada Doss in May.
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The motion to dismiss was filed Friday in Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court and argues that because Doss was killed while leaving work and walking to her vehicle in a DCH-owned employee parking lot, her death arose "out of and in the course of" her employment, making workers' compensation benefits the sole avenue of recovery from the hospital under Alabama law.
The hospital system contends that Alabama's Workers' Compensation Act provides the exclusive legal remedy available against DCH.
DCH provided the following statement to Patch when asked about its motion filed on Friday:
"The murder of Ada Doss was a heartbreaking tragedy, and our hearts remain with her husband, her daughters, and all who loved her. Ada was a valued member of the DCH family, and caring for the loved ones she left behind is something we take seriously. DCH is providing benefits to Ada’s family and will continue to support them.
The filing made this week is a step our attorneys are required to take within the legal process. Under Alabama law, when an employee loses their life at work, the provisions of the Alabama Worker’s Compensation Act dictates the support that must be provided to the family. That support is already being provided to Ada’s loved ones. This step does not change our grief, our commitment to Ada’s family, or our focus on the safety of everyone on our campus.
Out of respect for the legal process and the family’s privacy, we will not comment further on pending litigation."
The original lawsuit was filed by attorneys Paul Patterson and North Patterson of the Patterson Law Firm on behalf of Ada Doss' husband Andrew Doss and the personal representative of her estate.
As Patch previously reported, the lawsuit names DCH, Universal Protection Service LLC — doing business as Allied Universal Security Services — and Matthew Taylor as defendants.
Taylor is the man charged with capital murder for the shooting death of Doss, while Allied Universal Security Services was the contracted firm that handled security on the DCH Regional Medical Center campus in Tuscaloosa.
Taylor's family has also filed a civil lawsuit against DCH Health Care Authority, with Patch previously reporting on allegations that the hospital failed to provide emergency psychiatric treatment during a mental health crisis hours before the fatal shooting.
DCH Health System also requested Friday that the case brought by Taylor’s family be moved to federal court because many of the claims being made involve federal laws.
"The facts remain unchanged: Mr. Taylor never entered our emergency department or any other DCH hospital facility, was never registered as a patient, and never presented himself for care at DCH on May 12, 2026," the statement said. "We will allow the legal process to address the remaining issues in due course."
ALSO READ: Man Who Killed DCH Nurse Has Extensive History Of Mental Illness: Defense
The original complaint alleges negligence, wantonness and wrongful death against all three defendants.
In its filing, however, DCH Health Care Authority argues that while those claims may proceed against the other two named defendants, they cannot legally proceed against the hospital because of the exclusivity provisions of the Alabama Workers' Compensation Act.
The motion states DCH Health System has already started the process of paying Andrew Doss the maximum death benefits available under the state's workers' compensation law and will continue doing so.
Still, the hospital system argues those benefits constitute the only compensation that can be recovered from DCH.
Attorneys for DCH cite precedents they insist establish that the hospital is immune from civil liability beyond workers' compensation benefits because Doss was still considered to be in the course of her employment when she was fatally shot in the DCH Regional Medical Center parking lot on May 12.
Attorney Paul Patterson, representing Doss' family, told Patch on Friday that DCH's attempt to be removed from the wrongful death lawsuit shows the community how the hospital system "elects to strategically attack its own employees" by arguing it is immune from liability because of the Alabama Workers Compensation Statute.
"In other words, DCH is telling the court they can’t be found liable for ADA Doss’ death and therefore they will never have to pay a dime of compensatory or punitive damages to Drew Doss and his young daughters," Patterson told Patch. "I have confidence and faith our local judge will not agree with DCH’s errant interpretation of the law."
The motion asks Circuit Judge Corey Seale to dismiss all claims against DCH with prejudice for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.
Judge Seale had not ruled on the motion to dismiss as of the publication of this story.
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