Nurse blames St. Mary's for attack by patient

HUNTINGTON – A Milton woman is suing St. Mary’s Medical Center after she was allegedly attacked by a patient while she was performing her work duties.

Lisa Clark was employed by St. Mary’s Medical Center as a registered nurse and on Aug. 5, 2011, she arrived for her shift and was notified by nursing staff that a large, male patient was acting violently and presented a high probability of serious injury to staff, according to a complaint filed Nov. 27 in Cabell Circuit Court.

Clark claims she reported the unsafe working condition to her direct supervisor, however, despite reporting the unsafe working condition, she was directed to work with the violent patient without additional security support or protection from serious injury.

As Clark was helping to steady the violent patient, she was attacked and the violent patient placed her in a headlock and squeezed and twisted her head and neck, according to the suit.

Clark claims as a result of the defendant’s intentional exposure of Clark to an unsafe working condition, she suffered serious injury, including disc bulging at the C4-5 and C5-6; impingement syndrome; left shoulder injury; neck sprain; and a fracture of her teeth.

St. Mary’s had actual knowledge of the existence of the specific unsafe working condition and of the high degree of risk and the strong probability of serious injury or death presented by the specific unsafe working condition, according to the suit, and caused Clark to sustain severe and permanent injuries.

Clark is seeking compensatory damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. She is being represented by Bert Ketchum.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Paul T. Farrell.

Cabell Circuit Court case number: 12-C-785