CHARLESTON – A Charleston couple says a CAMC surgeon left the husband’s hand permanently damaged.
Christopher and Tina Awaldt filed their complaint April 25 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Charleston Area Medical Center.
According to the complaint, Christopher Awaldt went to the emergency room at Thomas Memorial Hospital on March 13, 2021, after he injured his right hand in a table saw accident. He was discharged the same day with instructions to follow-up with Dr. Justin McKinney, who is an employee of CAMC.
DiCocco
| Courtesy photo
Four days later, he had his first appointment with McKinney, and surgery was scheduled.
On March 25, 2021, McKinney performed surgery on Awaldt’s right hand, including exploration, incision and draining of his right middle finger and right thumb as well as a right CTR, an FPL repair, an ulnar digital nerve repair with axogen nerve graft and closure of the volar thumb wound with Integra.
At a follow-up appointment on April 7, 2021, Awaldt complained of pain and paresthesia. Nine days later, McKinney performed a skin graft of the right thumb and flexor tendon thumb repair.
After another appointment on April 30, 2021, McKinney performed a third surgery on May 6, 2021, for irrigation and debridement of the right thumb wound, first dorsal metacarpal artery flap and full thickness skin graft. At follow-up appointments, Awaldt complained of pain and stiffness in his hand. He had occupational and physical therapy at CAMC.
On July 21, 2021, Awaldt saw Dr. Joseph Prudhomme of West Virginia University Medicine for a second opinion on his nonfunctional hand. He recommended aggressive hand therapy. Meanwhile, he continued physical therapy at CAMC and saw McKinney with continued complaints of stiffness and limited range of motion.
McKinney performed a fourth surgery on August 26, 2021, including manipulation of the hand due to limited functional mobility. It was unsuccessful, and a fifth surgery was performed September 27, 2021, for a double opposing Z-plasty of the right thumb and an open capsulotomy of the right thumb IP.
Awaldt was referred for more occupational and physical therapy, but he still has a nonfunctional right hand with limited flexion of all digits in his right hand. He says McKinney deviated from the standard of care to failing to properly diagnose and surgically treat him from the beginning when he said he couldn’t find the radial digital nerve that had been injured.
He also says McKinney deviated from the standard of care by improperly using Integra during his surgeries, by performing multiple unnecessary surgeries and by failing to initiate appropriate medical treatment to preserve the mobility of Awaldt’s fingers.
Awaldt accuses CAMC of medical negligence and says that has resulted in permanent loss of the function of his hand, significant pain and suffering, mental anguish, multiple additional surgeries and permanent injuries. He also says he has incurred and will incur medical expenses, loss of income, loss of ability to enjoy life, aggravation, annoyance and inconvenience. His wife says she has been deprived of the consortium, society and comfort of her husband.
They seek compensatory damages and other relief. They are being represented by Robert V. Berthold Jr. and Holly G. DiCocco of Berthold Law Firm in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Kenneth Ballard.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 23-C-356