Kanawha man sues CAMC for mother's death

CHARLESTON -- A Kanawha County man is suing Charleston Area Medical Center after he claims it is responsible for his mother's death.

Select Medical Corporation; Select Medical Holdings Corporation; Select Specialty Hospital-Charleston, Inc.; Select Medical Rehabilitation Services, Inc.; and Does One through 20, were also named as defendants in the suit.

Jerry Giles is the only surviving son of Margaret Giles.

Margaret Giles was a patient at Charleston Area Medical Center from Dec. 29, 2008, until Jan. 19, 2009, and at Select Specialties Hospital-Charleston from Jan. 20, 2009, until April 21, 2009, according to a complaint filed Oct. 7 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

On Dec. 28, 2008, Jerry Giles claims Margaret Giles presented the defendant with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. He claims that during exploratory surgery performed the next day, Margaret Giles was found to have full-thickness necrosis and gangrene of her entire colon down to the proximal rectum.

Jerry Giles claims the defendants failed to develop and implement the adequate and appropriate care plans for his mother's condition and care needs.

The defendants failed to exercise reasonable care of safety; failed to provide appropriate custodial, personal, nursing, rehabilitative and medical care to Margaret Giles; failed to hire, train, supervise and retain sufficient numbers of nursing personnel staff or sufficiently trained staff; and failed to meet Margaret Giles' nutritional and hydration needs, according to the suit.

Jerry Giles is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. He is being represented by David R. Karr Jr.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Carrie Webster.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 10-C-1795