CHARLESTON – The widow of a Boone County man says poor medical care at CAMC led to his death.
Tammy Gordon, as representative of the estate of Michael Blaine Gordon, filed the wrongful death complaint May 15 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Charleston Area Medical Center Inc.
“This is another example of the atrocious care from CAMC’s Emergency Department,” attorney L. Dante diTrapano told The West Virginia Record. “With just a basic understanding of his condition, Mr. Gordon would still be alive.”
diTrapano
| Courtesy photo
According to the complaint, Michael Gordon went to CAMC Memorial Hospital’s emergency department on July 11, 2024, via ambulance with complaints of worsening swelling in his left leg. He recently had been prescribed Eliquis for a confirmed blood clot in the leg. He presented to the ER with a heart rate of 105.
He also recently had been hospitalized at CAMC Memorial for five days for sepsis, COPD with hypoxia pneumonia. And two days earlier, he had been diagnosed with a DVT in his lower left leg through an ultrasound.
After another ultrasound, Dr. Adam Thomas Crawford discharged Gordon less than two hours after his arrival with instructions to wear a compression stocking and to follow up with outpatient vascular surgery within a week.
The next day, Gordon was found dead in his backyard from an acute pulmonary embolism.
The complaint accuses CAMC of medical negligence and vicarious liability, saying Crawford and others failed to appreciate and diagnose Gordon’s elevated risk of pulmonary embolism, relied on an ultrasound instead of CT imaging and failed to appropriately treat him, including failing to admit him and failing to order heparin.
The estate seeks compensatory damages for sorrow, mental anguish, loss of solace, companionship, comfort, guidance, kindly offices and advice, loss of income, protection, care and assistance provided by the decedent as well as expenses related to his death as well as Gordon’s pain and suffering before his death.
Gordon’s estate also seeks punitive damages, general damages, special damages, pre- and post-judgment interests, court costs, attorney fees and other relief.
The estate is being represented by diTrapano and David H. Carriger of Calwell Luce diTrapano in Charleston and by Dr. Richard D. Lindsay of Tabor Lindsay & Associates in Charleston.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 25-C-619