Woman's estate blames hospital for her death

KEYSER – The estate of a Mineral County woman is suing over claims she was fatally injured when she fell while a patient at a hospital.

Nancy Susan Whitehurst, as personal representative and executrix of the estate of Joanna P. Walker, filed a lawsuit Oct. 21 in Mineral Circuit Court against West Virginia University Hospitals, doing business as Potomac Valley Hospital of West Virginia Inc., West Virginia United Health System Inc. and Potomac Valley Hospital of West Virginia Inc., citing wrongful death.

According to the complaint, Walker was admitted by ambulance to Potomac Valley Hospital of West Virginia on Sept. 21, 2012, for difficulty breathing, weakness, nausea and problems walking and urinating. The complaint states Walker had recently suffered an ischemic attack and was a known fall risk, but on Sept. 26, 2012, she was negligently left alone in her room in a non-high fall risk compliant chair.

According to the lawsuit, Walker fell out of her chair and suffered a subdural hemorrhage, which caused her death Oct. 3, 2012. The defendants are accused of medical professional liability for the breaches of care committed by their employees and nurses and negligence.

Whitehurst seeks more than $50,000 in damages.

She is represented by attorney James R. Moncus III of Hare, Wynn, Newell & Newton in Birmingham, Ala.

Mineral Circuit Court case number: 14-C-135