CHARLESTON - A Kanawha County man has filed a malpractice suit against the Kanawha County ambulance service and Metro 911, claiming they are responsible for his wife's death.
Wesley A. Lain Jr. filed a suit May 18 in Kanawha Circuit Court on behalf of his late wife, Joan Lain. The suit names Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority and Metro 911 as defendants.
According to the suit, Joan Lain was taken from her home to Charleston Area Medical Center by an ambulance. On her way there, she suffered a respiratory arrest, which caused her death, the suit says.
Lain claims the ambulance was not staffed with experienced personnel who could give his wife the proper treatment. The suit also claims Joan Lain was not given proper and timely care after her family called Metro 911.
Lain claims the defendants deviated from the applicable standard of care.
Lain seeks punitive damages for the misconduct of the defendants, to help deter them from future misconduct. He also seeks compensatory damages.
Attorney Robert P. Welsh is representing Lain, and the case has been assigned to Judge Tod Kaufman.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 07-C-975
Man blames ambulance authority, Metro 911 for wife's death
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