HUNTINGTON – A Cabell County woman alleges a hospital's negligence led to a man's suicide.
Nicole T. Scarbro, as administratrix of the estate of Forest Wesley Scarbro, filed a complaint June 11 in Cabell Circuit Court against St. Mary's Medical Center Inc. alleging negligence.
The suit states Forest Scarbro was admitted to the defendant's facility on Sept. 2, 2017, with suicidal thoughts. The suit states a suicide assessment risk was performed on Sept. 3, 2017, and recommended that the plaintiff was a suicide risk for depression, drug and alcohol abuse. He was discharged the same day the risk was performed, the suit states.
On Sept. 4, 2017, the suit states Forest Scarbro returned to the defendant's facility again and triage determined that he was still suicidal. The plaintiff alleges a nurse filed an application for involuntary hospitalization and the mental hygiene commissioner arrived to conduct the hearing on Sept. 5, 2017. The suit claims the nurse failed to appear for the hearing on the application of involuntary hospitalization, the application was denied and the decedent was discharged on Sept. 5, 2017. The decedent committed suicide that day, the suit states.
The plaintiff alleges the defendant, through its employees, breached its duty by failing to appear for the hearing.
The plaintiff is seeking all reasonable sums due, attorney fees and court costs. The plaintiff is represented by Paul Biser of Fredeking & Biser Law Offices in Huntington.
The case has been assigned to Judge Paul Farrell.
Cabell Circuit Court case number 19-C-279
