CHARLESTON – A man is suing Charleston Area Medical Center after he claims he was injured in the hospital's care.
Charleston Area Medical Center is doing business as CAMC Memorial Hospital and CAMC General Hospital.
Kanawha Valley Heart Specialist Inc.; West Virginia University Hospitals Inc.; Dr. Mitchell N. Rashid; and Dr. Moniba Nazeef were also named as defendants in the suit.
On Feb. 1, 2013, Lewis R. Taylor was admitted to CAMC for evaluation of a pericardial effusion and Nazeef started him on fondaparinux each day for prevention of blood clots while in the hospital, according to a complaint filed April 6 in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Taylor claims he received the medication at the same dose throughout his hospital stay and soon before he was discharged, he developed bleeding at his right arm arterial-venous dialysis fistula.
On Feb. 6, 2013, a nurse noted the bleeding, physicians were notified and a complete blood count was checked, according to the suit. Taylor received a transfusion of two units of fresh frozen plasma, fondaparinus was discontinued and he was discharged from the hospital.
Taylor claims on Feb. 8, 2013, he presented to the emergency department of CAMC because of pain in his right leg and a CAT scan revealed a large hematoma in the vastus lateralis muscle, with a smaller hematoma nearby.
On Feb. 13, 2013, Taylor was admitted to CAMC due to the worsening right leg pain and he was more anemic than he had been on the day of discharge from the hospital, according to the suit.
Taylor claims he underwent surgery to evacuate the large hematoma from his right leg, however, he continues to have pain from the site of the surgery and cannot stand upright for long periods of time, nor can he walk very far and his gait has decreased severely.
The defendants should have had appropriate laboratory testing prior to the ordering of fondaparinux, according to the suit.
Taylor claims he'd had no history of blood clots before he came to the hospital in February 2013.
Taylor is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. He is being represented by John R. Mitchell of John R. Mitchell LC.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 15-C-684
