CHARLESTON -- A man is suing Charleston Area Media Center and one of its physicians after the death of his wife on Sept. 11, 2007.
On Sept. 8, 2007, Katherine June Workman was taken to Charleston Area Medical Center by ambulance for a fractured right ankle and was admitted under the care of Dr. Frederic Pollock, an orthopedic surgeon, according to a complaint filed Nov. 3 in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Kevin Butcher, Workman's husband, claims his wife spent two days in her hospital bed immobile and without proper and timely care and treatment.
On Sept 10, Dr. Laurent LeGault, a sports medicine physician, performed corrective surgery on Workman.
Workman died Sept. 11 of a massive pulmonary embolism, according to the suit.
Butcher claims the hospital and LeGault negligently, carelessly, recklessly and in deviation from the appropriate standard of care and failed to timely perform the corrective ankle surgery. He claims that even though she was at an increased risk for a pulmonary embolism, they left her lying in bed, which resulted in the formation of a clot and resulted in Workman's massive pulmonary embolism.
Butcher is suing LeGault and the hospital for compensatory and punitive damages. Richard D. Lindsay II and Dr. Richard D. Lindsay of Tabor Lindsay & Associates are representing him.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Charles E. King.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 09-C-2057