Madison County Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder is scheduled to hear motions Tuesday in a wrongful death suit stemming from a man's fall while a patient at a Granite City hospital.
Several defendants were dismissed from the suit Feb.4.
Crowder also disclosed in an order last year that she had been treated by one of the defendants. Although she stated she would recuse herself from hearing requests made by that defendant, she did not feel it would impact her ability to hear the case.
Plaintiff Dimitrina Kutriansky filed the suit as administrator of the estate of Peter Stamboldjiev. She seeks damages of $50,000 per count of the suit and costs.
According to her complaint, Stamboldjiev was admitted to the hospital under the care of Dr. Timothy Hipskind.
Kutriansky alleges that the hospital and its staff failed to recognize Stamboldjiev's high fall risk, failed to take into account his confusion and mental state and failed to monitor him properly to prevent a fall.
The complaint states that Stamboldjiev fell in the hospital after his stay and that his injuries from it contributed to his death.
Hipskind and Granite City Clinic Corp. were dismissed from the suit last week.
Defendant Community Health Systems Inc. was dismissed in October 2008.
Earlier in 2008, Crowder entered an order noting that defendant Dr. Paul Schere had treated her seven years prior. Crowder will not, according to the order, preside over requests made by Schere.
The remaining defendants in the case are Granite City Illinois Hospital Company LLC, Granite City Orthopedic Physicians Company, Schere, Donna Wiegand, Sandra Mann and Irvin Schallenberg.
The plaintiff is represented by Christian Montroy. Montroy of East St. Louis substituted in for Ross Anderson, who filed the 2007 suit.
All of the defendants are represented by Edward Crites.
The case is Madison case number 07-L-485.
Crowder to hear motions in Granite City wrongful death case
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