The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

September 22, 2008

Medical malpractice lawsuit is returned to county court

By Joe Pinchot

SHENANGO VALLEY — A medical malpractice suit that moved from Mercer County Common Pleas Court to federal court in August has been sent back to Mercer.

Sonual and Ruth Williams of New Castle Feb. 20 sued Dr. Robert W. Piston and Specialty Orthopaedics, Dr. James Ezi-Ashi and the corporation Sagar V. Vallabh MD PC, Dr. Ravindra K. Sachdeva and SRPS General Surgical Specialists, and Drs. Charles D’Auria and Joseph J. Conti, all Hermitage; and Sharon Regional Health System.

On Aug. 19, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Pittsburgh, had the suit moved to U.S. District Court and asked that the federal government be substituted for Sachdeva.

Sachdeva is an employee of Primary Health Network, Sharon. Because Primary Health receives federal funds, its employees are considered federal government employees for coverage under the Federal Tort Claims Act, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Colville.

Colville asked that Sachdeva and the government be dismissed from the suit because the Williamses had not filed a claim with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services prior to filing the suit.

The Williamses’ attorney, Regis M. McClelland, Pittsburgh, responded that they did not know the financial arrangements between Sachdeva, Primary Health and the federal government. He said they did not oppose Sachdeva’s removal or the case being sent back to Mercer County to proceed against the other defendants. He also said they will file an administrative claim against Sachdeva.

U.S. District Court Judge Arthur J. Schwab, Pittsburgh, on Sept. 11 substituted the federal government for Sachdeva, dismissed the federal government for the Williamses’ failure to file an administrative claim, and remanded the case to Mercer County. With the federal government no longer a defendant, Schwab said he did not have jurisdiction over the suit.

According to the suit, Williams went to the hospital of Sharon Regional Health System Jan. 24, 2006, for knee replacement by Piston.

Afterward, he developed a fever and digestion problems. When he did not get any better, Sachdeva performed exploratory surgery and found the beginning of Williams’ large intestine had twisted on itself, causing an obstruction, gangrene and a small tear.

Williams developed liver failure and respiratory problems, and his family had him transferred to Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, where he was treated for pneumonia, pancreatitis and other problems, including those diagnosed in Sharon, the suit said.

He left Allegheny General March 7, 2006, for a long-term care and rehabilitation center, and went home May 4, 2006.

The Williamses allege the doctors and related companies failed to assess his condition and/or order proper diagnostic testing, diagnose the problems or treat him.

The doctors and affiliated corporations and Sharon Regional denied the allegations in answers filed in Mercer County court.

Text Only
Local News
  • Storm blows in fast, leaves damage

    A scattered storm that started in Michigan and pulled in moisture over Lake Erie organized itself into a locally-severe storm system Sunday over Mercer County.

    May 28, 2012

  • transit Transit is once-in-a-lifetime show

    A rare celestial wonder that won’t be seen again for more than a century is set to play out before our eyes and Farrell’s resident astronomer  is giving locals a chance to get a first-hand look at a “black dawn.”

    May 28, 2012 1 Photo

  • Ominous clouds Storms rumble through parts of Mercer County

    Temperatures dropped nearly 20 degrees Sunday as storms rumbled through parts of Mercer County in the afternoon and again in the evening. Some areas experienced high gusting winds during the early storms. The later storms were less windy, but dumped a lot of rain in a short span in the Shenango Valley as well as outlying areas. Temperatures are forecast for in the 90s on Memorial Day, with a chance of storms in the afternoon. Check out Sunday's Herald both in print and here for more details.

     

     

    May 27, 2012 1 Photo

  • Board wants pay freeze


    Sharon City School District officials are asking staff to take a wage freeze for the second year in a row to help cover a $1.9 million gap in the 2012-2013 budget in the face of further funding cuts by the state.

    May 27, 2012

  • City taps Pa. grant for downtown facelift


    The colorful flower baskets hanging in downtown Sharon are just one of the planted seeds officials hope will help the once-bustling area grow.

    May 27, 2012

  • pension graphic Pension bomb ticking for city

    The city of Sharon pays more people who don’t work there anymore than folks who still do.

    And the amount of money the city must pay to the retirees is going up about $250,000 next year, a hike that creates more problems for the cash-strapped town, City Manager Scott Andrejchak said.

    May 26, 2012 1 Photo

  • Church softball league to Mormons: You’re out!

    The Grove City Area Church Softball League’s decision to exclude a Mormon team from Slippery Rock has sparked a controversy far beyond the local sandlot.

    May 26, 2012

  • Fired bus driver files lawsuit

    A Mercer County woman fired from her job as a school bus driver over a 25-year-old drug conviction filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against a state education official and Jamestown Area School District.

    May 26, 2012

  • Recycling program a bit too popular

    The  county’s effort at going green by encouraging recycling in rural areas has been a tremendous success by most accounts, but isn’t without a few glitches. In Wilmington Township, residents often only have a window of a few minutes to get cardboard recyclables in before the bin is full, prompting a discussion among Mercer County Commissioners Wednesday morning.

    May 25, 2012

  • District will tap reserve fund

    Reynolds school directors plan to fill a $374,567 hole in the 2012-2013 budget with money from the district’s fund balance.

    May 25, 2012