Woman sues Raleigh General Hospital for mother's death

CHARLESTON -- A woman is suing Raleigh General Hospital after she claims they are responsible for her mother's death.

Drs. Hanibal Mahdi, Lamberto Maramba and Bose S. Mikkilineni were also named as defendants in the suit.

On Oct. 28, 2010, at approximately 12:30 p.m. Emma Lee Cassity presented to the emergency department of Raleigh General Hospital with complaints of abdominal pain over the hypogastric area with abdominal distension, according to a complaint filed May 10 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Lila Wiseman claims a CT scan of the abdomen was performed the following day, which revealed "free intraperitoneal air."

The finding of free air on the CT scan was not timely noticed and/or treated by the defendants and in fact, it was noted in the history and physical signed by Maramba that there was no evidence of free intraperitoneal air, according to the suit.

On Oct. 30, 2010, Wiseman claims Cassity underwent an exploratory laparotomy, which revealed a perforated sigmoid diverticulitis with peritonitis.

A resection of the sigmoid colon was done with a colostomy, but Cassity's condition continued to deteriorate and she died on Nov. 11, 2010, according to the suit.

Wiseman claims the defendants negligently failed to timely and properly recognize, diagnose and treat free air in the abdomen as evident on the CT scan.

The defendants' failures and negligence was the cause of Cassity's death, according to the suit.

Wiseman is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. She is being represented by Richard D. Lindsay and Matthew C. Lindsay.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Paul Zakaib Jr.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 12-C-845