Pennsboro man blames CAMC for wife's death

CHARLESTON – A Ritchie County man says Charleston Area Medical Center is to blame for his wife's death.

Rick Dennison filed the lawsuit Jan. 26 in Kanawha Circuit Court individually and as representative of the estate of Pamela Dennison.

In the suit, Dennison says his wife was a CAMC patient from Oct. 3, 2003, until her death six days later. While there, she had to undergo a catheterization procedure and stenting, after which she was experiencing significant bleeding at the catheterization site, and/or at other internal sites, as well she was experiencing periods of lethargy and unconsciousness.

"At no time did defendant CAMC or its staff, employees, agents or representatives, who were all acting within the scope of their authority, employment or otherwise with said defendant, CAMC, timely diagnose the aforementioned bleeding, or other medical complications, or implement sufficient measures to stop the bleeding, or treat the other medical complications."

"Despite the plaintiff's decedent having a heart rate of approximately 37 on or about Oct. 7, 2003, no cardiac monitoring system alarm sounded, nor did any of the defendant's staff, employees, agents or representatives diagnose this dangerous drop in plaintiff's decedent's heart rate and/or blood pressure."

Dennison, who lives in Pennsboro, says CAMC "fell below and/or deviated from the applicable standard of care" in a number of ways, such as:

* "By not timely diagnosing plaintiff's decedent's internal bleeding and/or other medical complications;

* "By not implementing sufficient and necessary measures in a timely manner to treat plaintiff's decedent's bleeding and/or other medical complications;" and

* "For the failure of any alarm systems in place on the heart monitoring devices of the Charleston Area Medical Center from sounding when the plaintiff's decedent's heart rate and/or blood pressure fell to dangerously low levels."

Their actions, Dennison claims, caused the demise of her health and subsequent death.

Dennison, who is being represented by attorney Daniel L. McCune, says his wife suffered injuries and damages of pain and suffering, annoyance and inconvenience, and loss of ability to enjoy life prior to her death.

He also mentions "the total limitation and deprivation of her normal activities, pursuits and pleasures from the date of her death until such a time in the future that plaintiff's decedent probably would have lived, had she not died as a result of the acts and omissions of the defendant as alleged;
"The amount of income which plaintiff's decedent would, during the balance of her natural lifetime, have earned or accumulated for her use, and for the use of her family;
"Medical expenses which plaintiff's decedent was caused to incur prior to her death;"

Dennison says he has sustained damages of sorrow, mental anguish, solace, society, companionship, comfort, guidance, kindly offices and advice, reasonable funeral expenses, loss of earnings or income, reasonable expenses for the care, treatment and hospitalization and other damages.

He also sues for loss of consortium, society and companionship or wife while she was hospitalized and after her death.

He seeks compensatory damages, loss of consortium damages and wrongful death damages, plus attorney fees, pre- and post-judgment interest and court costs.

He requests a jury trial.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey Walker.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 06-C-138