Denise Wood vs. Suzanne Percival-Pacini, et al

Case Background

On May 29, 2020, Plaintiff Denise Wood filed a premises liability and medical malpractice lawsuit in the California State, San Bernardino County, Superior Court (Case Number: CIVDS2008904) after suffering a hip fracture. This case was assigned to District Judge Rodney Gilstrap and referred to Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne.

Cause

On May 13, 2019, Denise Wood visited St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley, California, to see her ill mother. While walking through the facility, she slipped on a liquid substance left unattended on the floor. The fall caused significant injuries. She immediately experienced severe pain. St. Mary Medical Center and its parent company, Providence Health Services, owned, controlled, and operated the premises at the time. The hospital staff failed to maintain safe conditions, creating a hazardous environment that led to this premises liability incident. A hospital employee named Michelle, acting within the scope of her employment, instructed Plaintiff to report the incident to the emergency department. Michelle transported her in a wheelchair for a medical evaluation. The emergency department staff, including Suzanne Percival Pacin, Ramandeep S. Dhillon, M.D., and Duy Q. Bui, M.D., conducted an X-ray of her hip. The imaging revealed a fractured femoral head in her left hip. Despite clear medical evidence, the doctors and hospital personnel failed to disclose this critical injury. They concealed the diagnosis, leaving her unaware of her hip fracture. Their failure to in