ELKINS — A man and his wife are suing the Red Cross after injuries were sustained during a blood drive.
Ronald E. Jones and Melody Jones filed the lawsuit against American Red Cross Mid-Atlantic Region, Ryan Edsall and John Does, alleging injury after donating blood.
Ronald Jones, who was 71 years old, made an appointment to give blood on Jan. 18, 2018, and when he arrived at the blood drive, he was concerned about the blood drive because they were significantly behind schedule.
Ronald Jones claims after giving blood, he was taken to the refreshment area, which was not separated from the waiting area, and, because of that, people who had already given blood were placed among those waiting to give blood.
After being shepherded into the refreshment/waiting area, the Red Cross failed to supervise the area to allow Ronald Hones to leave the area without sufficient time to recover from his blood donation, according to the suit.
Ronald Jones claims he left the area and went to the second floor of the building to use the restroom where he passed out and struck his head. Jones was severely and permanently injured as a result of the defendants' failure to properly manage and supervise the blood drive.
Melody Jones claims she was later told that Edsall had not shown up to work the blood drive and had left staff shorthanded.
The plaintiffs claim the defendants were negligent and breached their duty of care to Ronald Jones.
Melody Jones suffered a loss of consortium due to the injuries her husband suffered.
The Joneses are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are represented by Hunter B. Mullens and C. Brian Matko of Mullens & Mullens in Philippi.
American Red Cross Mid-Atlantic Region removed the case to federal court, citing the diversity of citizenship. The organization is represented by Lee Murray Hall and Dakota R. Warner of Jenkins Fenstermaker of Huntington.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia Case number: 2:20-cv-00004
