CHARLESTON -- A Charleston woman is suing Charleston Area Medical Center for failing to timely treat free air in her abdomen.
Dr. Robert Bongchul and the West Virginia University Board of Governors were also named as defendants in the suit.
On Oct. 5, 2010, Anita Arnold went to the emergency room at CAMC seeking care, according to a complaint filed Aug. 23 in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Arnold claims the defendants failed to timely treat free air in her abdomen until the following day, which required her to endure multiple surgeries.
The defendants were careless, reckless and negligent in their care and treatment of Arnold by failing to treat her condition in a timely manner and deviated from the applicable standard of medical care, according to the suit.
Arnold claims a CT scan she had on Oct. 5, 2010, showed evidence of the free air in her abdomen, which the defendants should have treated that day, instead of waiting until the following day to diagnose her.
The defendants' negligence caused Arnold to sustain bodily injuries; suffer physical pain and mental anguish; incur expenses for doctors, hospital care, nursing care, medicine, equipment and related items of service; and impairment of her capacity to enjoy life, according to the suit.
Arnold is seeking compensatory damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. She is being represented by Richard D. Lindsay and Dr. Richard D. Lindsay.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Carrie Webster.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 12-C-1703
