[BBC] A US hospital switched off life support for a patient after the wrong family gave its consent, a lawsuit alleges.The man was taken to Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, in April, after being found lying unconscious beneath a car, naked with facial injuries.
Chicago police identified him though mug shots as Alfonso Bennett, and in May the hospital contacted relatives.
He died after they agreed to switch off the life support, but the real Mr Bennett later showed up at a barbecue.
His family were arranging his funeral when Mr Bennett reappeared, having been away.
After fingerprinting him at the morgue, police then named the dead man as Elisha Brittman, 69, and his real family were eventually contacted.
Both families are now suing the hospital and the city of Chicago for negligence and inflicting intentional emotional distress.