Woman claims ER doctors to blame for husband's death

WHEELING -- A Ohio County woman is suing over claims her husband's death was caused by the negligence of emergency room doctors.

Rebecca Anne McKee, executrix of the estate of Thomas R. McKee, deceased, filed a lawsuit April 22 in Ohio Circuit Court against Emcare of West Virginia Inc., Emcare Inc., Michael T. Schnupp PA-C, Katherine L. Arenz D.O. and Wheeling Hospital Inc., citing wrongful death.

According to the complaint, Thomas McKee was treated at Wheeling Hospital in March 2012 for a heart infarction and anemia, including the insertion of a stent in an artery. The lawsuit states McKee presented to the emergency room again, with left forearm pain and nausea, on March 27, 2012, when Schnupp and Arenz diagnosed him with an elbow sprain and prescribed Percocet.

On March 28, 2012, McKee was sent back to the emergency room by his doctor and on March 29, he was transferred to Ruby Memorial Hospital for the treatment of sepsis, where his heart stopped beating, cardiopulmonary resuscitation failed and he died.

The defendants are accused of failing to take McKee's recent heart problems and medical history into account when he presented to the emergency room the first time and the negligence which led to McKee's death.

Rebecca Anne McKee is seeking damages and costs in an amount to be determined by the court.

She is being represented in the case by attorney J. Michael Benninger.

Ohio Circuit Court Case No. 14-C-109