Suit alleges hospital employee's recklessness caused injury to man's foot

PARKERSBURG – An Idaho man alleges that while visiting a Wood County hospital, he became a patient due to the recklessness of a hospital employee rushing to render assistance to another patient.

On Nov. 21, William Roberts filed suit against Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital in Wood Circuit Court. In his complaint and suit, filed with the assistance of Parkersburg attorney Jay W. Gerber, Roberts alleges he sustained an injury to his left foot when a C-CMH employee ran over it with a "crash cart."

According to court records, Roberts, a resident of Twin Falls, Idaho, was "a patron and/or invitee of Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital" on Nov. 22, 2006. The reason Roberts was in the hospital that particular day is not stated.

However, during his visit, Roberts alleges "his left foot was run over by a 'crash cart' that was being pushed or driven or operated by an inattentive employee of Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital."

Though the identity of the person pushing the cart remains unknown, Roberts maintains that the force of it was so severe that it caused him bodily injury.

As a result of unidentified employee's negligence, Roberts alleges he has incurred or will continue to incur, among other things, "pain and suffering; loss of enjoyment of life…inconvenience, annoyance, humiliation, embarrassment, mental and emotional distress ... and future medical expenses." He is seeking unspecified damages.

Roberts' suit is the second one filed this year alleging an injury sustained while on C-CMH's premises. In August, Georgia and Larry Atkinson allege Georgia was knocked to the ground by faulty emergency room doors during a visit they made to C-CMH hospital on Jan. 12, 2007.

After she was treated and released, Georgia alleges a follow-up evaluation reveled she had "head, neck, back and leg problems."

Between then and the filing of the suit, Atkinson "has had extensive medical treatment as a result of being knocked down by the defective doors," which, according to the suit, have been replaced.

On Sept. 17, C-CMH, via its attorney Dino S. Colombo, filed its answer to the Atkinson's' suit denying their allegations.

Roberts' case has been assigned to Judge J.D. Beane.

Wood Circuit Court case number 08-C-696