WINFIELD – A Putnam County woman says she was unwittingly exposed to methamphetamine during her stay at a Hurricane nursing home and rehab facility while she recovered from congestive heart failure.
Thelma A. Absten filed her complaint in Putnam Circuit Court against Genesis Healthcare LLC.
According to the complaint, Absten was admitted to Thomas Memorial Hospital on September 10, 2019, with congestive heart failure. On September 18, she was released and transported by ambulance to Genesis Healthcare’s Teays Valley Center in Hurricane.
While there, Absten says she began experiencing hallucinations and was acting in an atypical manner. Her behavior was reported to Genesis staff, but the staff could find no explanation for it.
At her daughter’s request, Absten was transferred back to Thomas on September 24 for further testing. It was discovered then that methamphetamine/MDMA was in her system. Two days later, she was released from Thomas. On October 1, Absten had another drug screening by her primary care physician, and the results were negative.
“At some point between September 18, 2019, and September 24, 2019, plaintiff was unknowingly and unwillingly exposed to the illegal substance methamphetamine/MDMA by a member of the staff at Genesis Healthcare’s Teays Valley facility,” the complaint states. “The unlawful introduction of an illegal substance into plaintiff’s body, was unknown and unwanted by plaintiff and certainly was not consented to by plaintiff.”
Absten accuses Genesis of assault and battery, intentional and/or negligent infliction of emotional distress and negligent hiring.
She seeks compensatory damages for monetary loss as well as annoyance, aggravation, inconvenience and emotional distress. She also seeks punitive damages, court costs, attorney fees and other relief. She is being represented by David O. Moye of Moye Law Office in Winfield and Scott L. Summers of Summers Law Office in Poca.
Putnam Circuit Court case number 21-C-150