CHARLESTON – The estate of a Kanawha County man says misdiagnoses by several CAMC staffers over 18 months led to his death.
Susan Gibson, wife and administratrix of the estate of Terry V. Gibson, filed her complaint May 11 against Charleston Area Medical Center, the West Virginia University Board of Governors, Dr. Robert E. Buckner, Dr. Calvin Huan Yang and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Jamie K. Kaufman in Kanawha Circuit Court.
“The medical care that Terry Gibson received at CAMC was atrocious,” L. Dante diTrapano, one of Gibson’s attorneys, told The West Virginia Record.
L. Dante diTrapano
According to the complaint, Terry Gibson went to CAMC Memorial Hospital’s emergency department on July 11, 2019, with left abdominal pain. He was seen by Yang, and Buckner ordered a CT. He also received an ultrasound, and he was diagnosed with pancreatitis.
Five days later, he went to CAMC Outpatient Care Center and was seen by Dr. Brittain McJunkin, who reported he “was not convinced” Gibson had pancreatitis and ordered more lab work.
On April 30, 2020, Gibson was seen by Dr. Andrea Marie Stark at the Outpatient Care Center for the same pain. She also reported Gibson’s symptoms were inconsistent with pancreatitis, ordered more tests and referred him to a gastroenterologist.
On July 14, 2020, Gibson saw Janice Kay Kaufman, APRN, CNP, at the Outpatient Care Center GI Clinic. She reported his symptoms were consistent with pancreatitis or irritable bowel syndrome, and she ordered more lab work.
On August 19, 2020, Gibson saw McJunkin and Dr. Mohammed Jamal Arisha at the Outpatient Care Center. They reported Gibson’s chronic abdominal pain was “most likely multifactorial” and advised him to follow-up at the GI Clinic. He saw them against October 14, 2020, and agreed to a colonoscopy. Two weeks later, a nurse referred him for the colonoscopy.
On November 18, 2020, Gibson had an EGD and colonoscopy by Dr. Vardhan Reddy Naravadi at CAMC Memorial. The doctor reported no source explained Gibson’s abdominal pain and said he would benefit from an MRI of the abdomen if his pain persisted “given CT findings from the past with possible mild dilated pancreatic duct and acute pancreatitis without clear etiology.”
Ten days later, Gibson went to CAMC Memorial’s ER again with pain and nausea. He also had lost 20 pounds in the last year. A week later, he again went to the Outpatient Care Center where Dr. Damanvir Singh Garcha and Dr. Amad Kahn diagnosed him with IBS.
Ten days after that, Gibson was treated by Naravadi, who ordered a Miralax purge of his colon. He said Gibson would benefit from an MRI but didn’t order one because of Gibson’s “self-pay status.”
On January 4, 2021, Gibson saw Naravadi again for continued pain and weight loss. The MRI finally was ordered, and Gibson had it performed January 29, 2021. The MRI showed a 7.1 cm lesion in the tail of the pancreas and a lesion in the left lobe of the liver.
A few days later, Gibson had an EGD and EUS, which revealed a mass of at least 7 cm by 3 cm on the tail of the pancreas and a lesion on the liver at least 6 cm by 4 cm, highly suspicious for metastatic cancer of pancreatic origin.
Gibson died of pancreatic cancer on March 4, 2021.
Susan Gibson accuses CAMC and the WVU BOG of professional negligence and vicarious liability, and she accuses Buckner, Kaufman and Yang of professional negligence.
She seeks compensatory damages her late husband’s pain and suffering prior to his death as well as for sorrow, mental anguish, loss of solace, companionship, comfort, guidance, kindly offices and advice of the decedent, loss of income, services, protection, care and assistance in addition to medical and death related expenses. She also seeks punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interests, attorney fees, court costs and other relief.
Gibson is being represented by diTrapano and David Carriger of Calwell Luce diTrapano in Charleston as well as by Dr. Richard D. Lindsay and Richard D. Lindsay II of Tabor Lindsay & Associates in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 22-C-378
