CHARLESTON — A personal representative is suing Charleston health care facilities, alleging negligent supervision.
Lisa Smith, on behalf of Dorothy Stover, filed a complaint in Kanawha Circuit Court against Genesis Healthcare LLC, 1000 Lincoln Drive Operations LLC and John Does 1 through 10, alleging the defendants breached their duty to residents to act in a manner consistent with a proper operation of the nursing homes they controlled.
According to the complaint, on Jan. 5, 2016, Stover was admitted to the defendants' Valley Center nursing home as she was no longer competent to handle her own affairs, due to dementia, and her cognitive and physical skills were impaired.
However, Smith alleges Stover was not provided the proper care she was promised because of budgetary restrictions on staffing and supplies. The suit says this caused Stover to suffer falls, fractures, infections and dehydration, which required hospitalization and medical treatment.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants failed to provide nursing personnel sufficient in number to ensure Stover attained and maintained her highest level of physical, mental and psycho-social well-being.
Smith seeks trial by jury, damages, costs of litigation, punitive damages and all other just relief. She is represented by attorneys James B. McHugh, Michael Fuller Jr. and Ka' Leya Hardin of McHugh Fuller Law Group PLLC in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 18-C-472