PRINCETON -- Several medical professionals face a lawsuit after allegedly failing to treat a patient's kidney disease, which the plaintiff says led to the patient's death.
Wayne L. Evans, as executor and personal representative of the estate of Douglas E. Evans, deceased, filed suit June 9 in Mercer Circuit Court against Bluefield Hospital Company LLC, doing business as Bluefield Regional Medical Center, and Stephen Degray M.D.
According to the complaint, Douglas Evans visited his doctor, Degray, on March 20, 2012, complaining of extreme thirst, fatigue and difficulty breathing, and the defendant doctor ran several tests before sending Douglas home. The following day Douglas was transported by ambulance to defendant Bluefield Regional Medical Center, where it was discovered he was suffering from an acute kidney injury and kidney disease, and he was admitted to the hospital for further treatment, the suit states.
Douglas's health continued to deteriorate during the next 24 hours and Degray called in orders but did not evaluate Douglas in person, leading to his death in the early morning hours of March 22.
The defendants are accused of negligence, gross negligence and wrongful death.
Evans is seeking compensatory damages in excess of jurisdictional limits, punitive damages, pre- and post-judgement, plus any other relief the court deems just.
He is represented by Princeton attorney Eric J. Buckner of Katz, Kantor, Stonestreet & Buckner PLLC and Wheeling attorneys R. Dean Hartley and Mark R. Staun of Hartley & O'Brien PLLC.
Mercer Circuit Court Case No. 14-C-394-DS
Bluefield hospital, doctor face wrongful death suit
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