CHARLESTON – The estate of a Kanawha County woman has sued the West Virginia University Board of Governors following her death, blaming a WVU School of Medicine doctor.
Robert Reveal, as administrator of the estate of Whitney Clendenin, filed his complaint in Kanawha Circuit Court against the WVU BOG. He says he was the longtime domestic partner of Clendenin, and they had a son who was 14 at the time. Clendenin was 34 when she died.
According to the complaint, Clendenin was involved in a vehicle rollover accident April 13, 2023, and was taken by ambulance to Charleston Area Medical Center's emergency department. A CT Scan revealed a splenic laceration, free fluid in the pelvis and a potential vena cava injury as well as a kidney hematoma. She also had a spinal injury that required surgery.
Over the next several days, Clendenin was treated at CAMC and had the required back surgery. Blood work was done throughout the process. The complaint says the results of the blood work were "alarming and raise a great deal of suspicion" that she still was bleeding internally.
"Although the alarming blood counts discussed above are enough reason in and of themselves to order a repeat CT scan or CT angiogram, a reasonably prudent surgeon would have ordered these tests given the severity of her splenic injury, the amount of free fluid found in the pelvis and the possible vena cava injury ... prior to discharge," the complaint states.
Clendenin was discharged the evening of April 17, 2023. Her discharge order was entered by Nurse Practitioner Teresa Lynn White, and Dr. Tiffany Marie Lasky signed off on the order.
On April 25, 2023, Clendenin collapsed at her home because of internal bleeding from the splenic laceration. She died later that day of hemorrhagic shock.
The estate claims Lasky deviated from the applicable standard of care with Clendenin, resulting in her death.
The complaint says Clendenin was in pain and fear when she died, and it says the estate incurred medical, funeral and burial expenses as well as the loss of Clendenin's services, society, companionship, consortium, care, assistance, attention, protection, advice and guidance as well as the loss of her income and future earnings.
The estate seeks compensatory damages and other relief.
Reveal is being represented by Tony L. O'Dell and Cheryl A. Fisher of Tiano O'Dell in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Stephanie Abraham.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 24-C-63