HUNTINGTON — A registered nurse is suing CHG Cornerstone Healthcare Group L.P, CS Healthcare General LLC and Cornerstone Hospital Huntington CEO Cynthia Isaacs, citing alleged wrongful discharge.
Donna Burnette filed a complaint on May 31 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia against the defendants, alleging that they terminated her employment because she discovered that a patient, "DCD," had been grossly overmedicated in the leadup to the patient's death.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on May 21, 2015, she was assigned to DCD. Through observation and research, she found out that DCD was ove-medicated, the suit says, adding that the plaintiff reported this to Isaacs but was not given answers. According to the plaintiff, DCD died because of this. On the same day, the plaintiff was terminated on grounds of a complaint by a patient who was assigned to her the previous Sunday. The plaintiff holds the defendants responsible because Isaacs allegedly was informed by the plaintiff several times about the overmedication and DCD's condition deteriorated because of this. Instead of checking and correcting the medication dosage, Isaacs ignored her, the suit says, adding that due to the plaintiff's reports of alleged overmedication, she was unlawfully discharged.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks all damages provided by law, attorney's fees and litigation costs, and such other relief as the court may deem just and equitable. She is represented by Mark Goldner of Hughes & Goldner, PLLC in Charleston.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia Case number 3:16-cv-04917