WHEELING – A New Martinsville widower accuses Wheeling Hospital and a physician there of negligence leading to the death of his wife of 58 years.
Larry G. Ritz, administrator of the estate of Sandra J. Ritz, filed his complaint against Wheeling Hospital Inc. and Dr. Shashi R. Urval.
According to the complaint, Sandra Ritz presented to Wheeling Hospital’s Emergency Department on November 8, 2018, after her implantable cardioverter defibrillator had fired twice. She also complained of being weak and “fuzzy.”
She was admitted for treatment and evaluation. Medical records said her hypothyroidism was “poorly managed.” Her dosage of Levothyroxine was increased, and she was told to continue taking Amiodarone.
On January 11, 2019, Larry Ritz says he called Urval’s office to ask for Sandra’s updated Levothyroxine prescription. He also asked if Urval wanted to check Sandra’s labs before having the prescription filled.
According to records, Urval approved the request for lab testing, but he never ordered any labs at the time. He also didn’t order labs when Sandra had a follow-up appointment on January 14, 2019.
On March 13, 2019, at another appointment, Sandra Ritz told Urval she hadn’t been consuming much food or water. She also complained of lethargy. Again, Urval did not order lab work.
On May 25, 2019, Sandra returned to Wheeling Hospital’s Emergency Department and was admitted. She said she suffered from chest pain and syncope after her ICD had fired. Four days later, lab testing showed she had an abnormally low thyroid stimulating hormone level and an abnormally high thyroxine level.
Urval noted she had amiodarone-induced hypothyroidism and that she “will need to (be discharged),” and he told Sandra to stop taking Levothyroxine. He also asked for a follow-up appointment a week later.
On July 5, 2019, was back at the ER after a fall that left her with shoulder pain. Larry Ritz told personnel his wife had grown weaker and more confused since her last visit.
On October 17, 2019, she visited Urval again, but he did not recheck labs as he had promised just after her July ER trip. He also did not restart her prescription to Levothyroxine.
On January 13, 2020, Sandra was admitted to Wheeling Hospital because of worsening cognitive functions. She also wasn’t eating or drinking much. A thyroid study showed her thyroid stimulating hormone was very high. She was given Levothyroxine intravenously. When she was discharged three days later, she was told to take Levothyroxine and to not take Amiodarone.
She returned to the hospital two weeks later with hypotension issues, but no thyroid studies were ordered. A week later, she was back at the ER because her ICD had fired. During that visit, it was noted her mental condition had deteriorated drastically and she would not eat or drink. When she was admitted to the hospital, a thyroid study revealed levels consistent with hypothyroidism.
She ultimately was discharged and sent home under hospice care. She died March 4, 2020, at age 70.
The complaint claims Urval breached the applicable standard of care by failing to appropriately manage Sandra Ritz’s thyroid condition and symptoms when he discontinued her use of Levothyroxine without ordering follow-up lab work to monitor her TSH level.
“Because of Dr. Urval’s actions and inaction, Sandra’s health continued to decline over a span of nine months and ultimately culminated in her death on March 4, 2020,” the complaint states. “Sandra’s death was a direct result of Dr. Urval’s negligence.”
The complaint says Sandra experienced extreme physical, mental and emotional pain and suffering prior to her death. She and her estate also have incurred medical expenses and funeral expenses.
Larry Ritz accuses the defendants of medical negligence. He seeks compensatory damages as well as attorney fees, court costs and other relief. He also seeks damages for loss of consortium.
He is being represented by Brian J. Headley and Jonathan K. Matthews of Headley Ballard LLC of Daniel Island, S.C. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge David J. Sims.
Ohio Circuit Court case number 20-C-250