Woman says ID theft led to arrest

CHARLESTON - A Kanawha County woman says her personal information was stolen by a nurse at St. Francis Hospital who used it to identify herself to the police.

Paula Fields filed a lawsuit May 24 against Charleston Hospital, Inc., and Joy Robin Alderman, claiming Alderman's actions led to Fields' wrongful arrest.

After being admitted May 26, 2004, as a patient at Saint Francis, Fields says "Joy Robin Alderman, through her official position as an employee (i.e. Registered Nurse) with the defendant Saint Francis Hospital obtained Plaintiff's personal identity information, including her date of birth, social security number, driver's license number and address," the complaint says. "She also had access to Plaintiff's sensitive medical information."

The complaint adds that Alderman encountered some criminal trouble in Wood County and "falsely presented Plaintiff's identity information (masquerading as though she were the plaintiff) to authorities who were investigating her alleged criminal conduct."

All of which led to the real Fields' false arrest, which came shortly after her son had died.

She is seeking damages for emotional distress, embarrassment, loss of good credit and loss of income.

She charges Saint Francis with failing to monitor Alderman.

Charleston attorney John G. Hackney, Jr. is the plaintiff's attorney.

Judge Paul Zakaib has been assigned the case.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number 06-C-1000