Poor care led to nursing home resident's death, suit claims

PARKERSBURG - A Wood County woman is alleging a Parkersburg nursing home's substandard care of her mother resulted in her ultimate death.

Linda Holstine, as the personal representative of the estate of Eva Thelma Davis, on April 15 filed suit in Wood Circuit Court against Ohio Valley Nursing Home, Inc. doing business as Ohio Valley Health Care. In her complaint, filed with the assistance of Robert W. Absten, with the Charleston law firm of Bell and Blands, alleges that OVHC staff, including the administrator failed to take care of Davis during her four-year stay.

According to court records, Davis was first admitted to OVHC, located on Nicolette Rd. in Parkersburg, on April 14, 2004. Though records are unclear if she was later discharged for a brief period, on April 10, 2006 again admitted OVHC this time "as an elderly man for the purposes of receiving quality care and treatment and assistance in her activities of daily living."

Nevertheless, during her stay, Holstine alleges Davis "suffered serious injuries from a pattern of poor care, neglect and abuse rendered by Ohio Valley Health Care and its staff." Those injuries included "infections, weight loss and pain" which "caused the significant destruction of her physical and mental condition during her residency at the facility."

Specifically, Holstine alleges that among the infections Davis suffered were "numerous urinary tract infections." Along with the infections, and the weight loss, Holstine says the staff "failed to timely report these changes to the physician, resulting in delays in treatment."

This, Holstine alleges, "ultimately led or contributed to [Davis'] death on or about April 3, 2008" According to her death certificate, Davis was 92.

In her suit, Holstine alleges that OVHC's negligence have resulted in both she and Davis' estate incurring "medical expenses for the care and treatment of the conditions that led to [Davis'] death and, additionally, the estate has incurred funeral expenses." Furthermore, Holstine says as a result of her mother's death, she has "sustained mental pain and suffering and loss of companionship."

She is seeking unspecified damages, court costs and attorneys fees.

OVHC's administrator, Michael A. Miller, is named as a co-defendant in Holstine's suit

The case has been assigned to Judge Jeffery B. Reed.

Wood Circuit Court, Case No. 09-C-193