Hospital caused allergic reaction, woman says

MORGANTOWN - A Keyser woman says Ruby Memorial Hospital botched her surgery and is suing it, her surgeon and University Health Associates.

Nina McCarty filed suit in Monongalia Circuit Court, alleging that "Defendant David McFadden, M.D., owed his patients, specifically including Nina McCarty, a duty to exercise reasonable care in her medical care and treatment."

The complaint says she had a laproscopically assisted right hemicolectomy to remove a mass in her cecum on Nov. 2, 2004, performed by McFadden.

However, she says she was given Pepcid and Reglan, which contain sulfa. McCarty says she is allergic to sulfa, and her doctors should have known.

"Predictably, Plaintiff suffered a severe allergic reaction after being administered the medication," the complaint says. "She became unresponsive and apneic. She required emergent resuscitation and was admitted to the hospital."

She remained in the hospital, the complaint says, until Nov. 15 and was treated for cardiogenic shock, hypotension, sepsis and acute myocardial infarction.

"As a direct and proximate result of the delay of diagnosis, misdiagnosis and treatment of the condition, the claimant, Nina McCarty, sustained serious grievous pain, permanent injuries, disabilities and limitations due to the defendants' negligence, want of care and/or acts or omissions in manners contrary to the standard of medical care," the complaint says.

She seeks non-economic damages for pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life and charges the defendants with negligence.

Daniel James of James Law Firm in Keyser is representing McCarty, who seeks compensatory damages.

Monongalia Circuit Court case number 06-C-716