Ohio University denied its affiliation with an Athens Medical Associates doctor who is being sued for medical negligence after injecting an OU student with a drug, the side effects of which caused the student's death.
According to the complaint filed by the student's father, Imber Coppinger, a physician at Athens Medical Associates, an affiliate of O'Bleness Health System, injected journalism student Lianne Nicole Vernell, 22, with Marcaine 0.59 for Vernell's back pain Oct. 3, 2008. Lianne had a seizure and went into cardiopulmonary arrest. She died three days later.
Lianne's father, Anthony Vernell, sued OU and the College of Osteopathic Medicine through the Ohio Court of Claims. He is also suing Coppinger, Athens Medical Associates, Sheltering Arms Hospital Foundation, which includes O'Bleness Health System, and any other medical professionals who were involved in Lianne's care.
Coppinger did not work for OU when she treated Lianne, so OU is asking for immunity from the suit, according to OU's answer to the complaint.
She did work for the College of Osteopathic Medicine between 1997 and 2000, said Karoline Lane, director of communications for the College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Coppinger and Athens Medical Associates also denied the allegations that their care of Lianne was negligent and unskillful and that medical professionals failed to adequately treat, monitor, resuscitate and have the proper medicine and resuscitation equipment available to treat Lianne.
Sheltering Arms Hospital Foundation also denied the allegations against it.
Anthony is asking for at least $25,000 in the Court of Common Pleas in damages for his daughter's premature death, medical and funeral expenses and his emotional distress because of her death.
That amount is the minimum needed to enter the case in the Court of Common Pleas, but Anthony will ask for much more, said Kenneth Blumenthal, Anthony's attorney.
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Gail Burkhardt
