HUNTINGTON – A mother and daughter are suing Heritage Center for negligence after they failed to timely diagnose a medical problem.
101 13th Street Operations LLC is doing business as Heritage Center.
Tony Mollica, administrator of Heritage Center; Jana Postin, Director of Nursing at Heritage Center; and two unknown men were also named as defendants in the suit.
In January 2014, Suzanne High suffered a stroke with hemorrhagic transformation and, following the stroke, was hospitalized at Cabell Huntington Hospital and on Jan. 29, 2014, she was admitted to Heritage Center to undergo rehabilitation, according to a complaint filed April 10 in Cabell Circuit Court.
High's rehabilitation from the stroke required the use of her left leg, which, at the time of her admission to Heritage, had not been substantially compromised by the stroke, according to the suit.
High and her daughter, Virginia "Ginny" High, claim during Suzanne High's physical therapy evaluation performed by Heritage medical staff on Jan. 30, 2014, it was noted she was at risk for DVT.
On Feb. 12, 2014, Virginia High informed the nursing staff that Suzanne High's left leg was discolored and cool to the touch, however, despite knowing she was at risk for DVT, the only action undertaken by the staff was to give her Tylenol, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs claim the following day, Suzanne High's treating physician at Heritage ordered her to undergo an ultrasound of her left leg and, despite the DVT risks, the defendants attributed her symptoms to "unspecified peripheral vascular disease."
At no point did Suzanne High's physicians at Heritage order her to undergo diagnostic tests to rule out DVT and instead, were content with the results of the ultrasound, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs claim on Feb. 14, 2014, Suzanne High was transferred to Cabell Huntington Hospital for further evaluation, because of extreme pain in her left leg and decreased circulation and the following day, she was transferred to the intensive care unit and on Feb. 18, 2014, her left leg was amputated above the knee at the hospital.
The defendants failed to properly diagnosed Suzanne High, which caused her suffering and amputation, according to the suit. The amputation could have been avoided had the defendants provided a timely diagnosis, care and treatment.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages with interest. They are being represented by Kathy A. Brown and Timothy D. Houston of Kathy Brown Law PLLC; and Richard B. Meyers, Brenda K. Neville and Casey W. Baker of Meyers & Neville LLC.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge F. Jane Hustead.
Cabell Circuit Court case number: 15-C-270