CHARLESTON – The estate of a St. Albans man blames a trio of medical providers for his death.
Aimee McNurlen, administratrix of the estate of Timothy James McNurlen, filed her complaint May 30 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Charleston Area Medical Center, South Charleston Cardiology Associates PLLC and the West Virginia University Board of Governors. Aimee McNurlen was Timothy McNurlen’s wife.
According to the complaint, Timothy McNurlen died August 10, 2021, from cardiogenic shock secondary to decompensated biventricular failure as a result of the defendants’ negligence.
McNurlen went to CAMC Memorial Hospital the day before his death. Dr. Anthony Mohammad Roohollahi, an employee of the WVU BOG, was his attending physician. McNurlen was in Stage IV congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response, hypotension, edema and sepsis. He had gained 10-12 pounds in the previous week.
An EKG, performed and/or interpreted by Dr. Mohammad Yousaf with SCCA, showed McNurlen also was experiencing an acute anterior myocardial infarction. But the complaint says Yousaf failed to properly diagnose the heart attack.
That evening, Dr. Sangeeta Mandapaka with CAMC had a cardiac consultation with McNurlen. She diagnosed him with acute on chronic systolic heart failure, cardiorenal syndrome with renal failure, atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response, cardiogenic shock and sepsis.
Two other physicians – Dr. Muhammad A. Iqbal with CAMC and Dr. David A. Adkins of the WVU BOG – also managed McNurlen’s care, according to the complaint.
Another EKG that evening reflected an anterior myocardial infarction with reciprocal change. But Yousaf failed to properly diagnose and treat McNurlen for it, according to the complaint.
The complaint says proper standard of care required staff to intubate McNurlen and perform an emergency angioplasty with additional supportive care. It says CAMC and WVU BOG personnel failed to do so.
McNurlen died just hours later.
The estate accuses the defendants of negligence, violation of the West Virginia Medical Professional Liability Act and loss of consortium.
The complaint says the negligence of the defendants caused McNurlen to suffer from severe personal injuries, physical deterioration, pain, suffering, emotional distress and, ultimately, his death. It also says the estate has medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses.
The estate seeks compensatory damages, general and special damages, punitive damages, court costs, attorney fees, pre- and post-judgment interests and other relief. It also seeks damages for McNurlen’s lost wages, lost earning capacity, lost benefits and lost household services.
The estate is being represented by L. Dante diTrapano and Timothy D. Houston of Calwell Luce diTrapano in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Joanna Tabit.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 23-C-478
