WHEELING — Three lawsuits allege three people were blinded following cataract surgery by the same doctor on the same day at Wheeling Hospital.
Linda D. Coleman of Wetzel County was admitted to Wheeling Hospital on Nov. 4, 2019, for a surgery with Dr. Raymond Bannan to remove a cataract from her left eye, but following the surgery she lost vision in that eye and developed corneal decompensation, according to a complaint filed in Ohio Circuit Court.
In her lawsuit, Sharon M. Miller of Ohio County says she had a cataract removed from her right eye, but lost vision later and developed corneal decompensation as well.
William J. Zamski and Helen Zamski of Ohio say William Zanski had a cataract removed from his right eye but later had the same issues.
All three lawsuits claim the defendants – Bannan, Wheeling Hospital and unknown/unnamed employees – deviated from the standard of care. It also says Bannan authored a note that read that the pH neutral detergent was not used when the surgical instruments were processed.
"I have also been informed that a relatively inexperienced technician was processing the instruments that day," Bannan wrote in his note. "The hospital has accepted responsibility and is reaching out to the patients to see what they can do to help them."
All of the plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They all are represented by Brent E. Wear and Robert P. Fitzsimmons of Fitzsimmons Law Firm.
Ohio Circuit Court case number: 21-C-3 (Coleman), 21-C-4 (Miller), 21-C-5 (Zamski)
