Date: 12-06-2024

Case Style:

Mary Mullins v. Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc., d/b/a Hazard ARH, et al.

Case Number: 20-CI-127

Judge: James W. Craft, II

Court: Circuit Court, Perry County, Illinois

Plaintiff's Attorney:

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Defendant's Attorney: Kenneth Williams, Jr.

Description:

Hazard, Kentucky personal injury lawyer represented the Plaintiff on a medical malpractice claim.

Mullins was married to Billy Mullins ("Billy"). Billy, age 67, suffered from a variety of medical ailments, including obesity, diabetes, chronic atrial fibrillation, seizure disorder, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ("COPD"), and diastolic heart failure. On February 1, 2019, he was found unresponsive in his home. He was admitted to Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc., d/b/a Hazard ARH ("Hazard ARH") after being transferred from another medical facility. Billy was in cardiac arrest when found, and he had been revived and intubated at the previous facility.

Billy was at Hazard ARH from February 1 through February 22, 2019. He remained on a ventilator until February 16 but then had to be reintubated on February 21. During his time at Hazard ARH, Billy suffered from pneumonia, congestive heart failure, renal failure, tachycardia, anemia, and the development of decubitus ulcers.[1]

On February 22, 2019, Billy was transferred to Baptist Health Corbin Long Term Acute Care Hospital ("LTAC"). While at LTAC, his condition worsened. Billy's renal failure progressed, requiring him to undergo dialysis. He also received placements of both a tracheostomy tube and a gastrostomy tube.

Billy was transferred from LTAC to Baptist Health Lexington Hospital ("Baptist") on March 17, 2019. Billy had developed bacterial sepsis, allegedly from an infected dialysis catheter. While at Baptist, stage 3 decubitus ulcers[2] were documented. He remained at Baptist until April 2, 2019, when he was transferred to Select Specialty Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. Billy was then transferred to Salyersville Nursing Home on May 10, where he stayed until May 14. He was then emergently transferred to Paul B. Hall Regional Medical Center on May 14, then immediately to Pikeville Medical Center. Billy passed away at Pikeville Medical Center on May 16, 2019. He essentially died of multiorgan failure due to sepsis.

A medical malpractice suit was filed on February 3, 2020, by Billy's widow, Mullins. Mullins named forty-two defendants, both individual medical practitioners and medical facilities. Mullins also named "unknown defendants" working at the various medical facilities. A much smaller number remains as Appellees, as many defendants were dismissed for improper venue,[3] as they did not reside or provide care to Billy in Perry County.

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In a medical negligence case, a plaintiff must prove the applicable medical standard of care, a breach of that care, and an injury resulting from that breach of care. Blankenship v. Collier, 302 S.W.3d 665, 675 (Ky. 2010). In order to survive summary judgment, a plaintiff must present a genuine issue of material fact for every element. See Andrew v. Begley, supra, at 170.

Outcome: Affirmed

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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