CHARLESTON – A Winifrede man alleges a nurse anesthetist failed to control a woman's blood pressure during a colonoscopy, which contributed to her death.
Larry Rouse, administrator of the estate of Deborah Rouse, filed a complaint in Kanawha Circuit Court against Heather Bell citing the Medical Professional Liability Act.
According to the complaint, Deborah Rouse underwent a colonoscopy Aug. 15, 2017, and was sent home. The following day, she went to the emergency department of the Charleston Area Medical Center with complaints of severe abdominal pain and was diagnosed with a necrotic cecum. She died Aug. 17, 2017.
The plaintiff holds Bell responsible because the defendant, who cared for Deborah Rouse on Aug. 15, 2017, failed to maintain and treat her blood pressure during the colonoscopy.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks compensatory and punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment costs, allowable fees and such other relief allowable under the Medical Professional Liability Act. He is represented by Richard D. Lindsay of Tabor Lindsay & Associates in Charleston.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge James C. Stucky.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 18-C-722