Hospital wrongful death case goes to trial Tuesday

A woman's wrongful death suit against a Granite City hospital is set for trial Tuesday.

Plaintiff Dimitrina Kutriansky, suing as administrator of the estate of Peter Stamboldjiev, claims that Granite City Hospital and its staff failed to properly monitor Stamboldjiev in order to prevent a fall which allegedly led to his death.

She is seeking damages of at least $50,000 and costs.

Several defendants in the suit were dismissed earlier this year.

Kutriansky claims that while in the hospital under the care of Dr. Timothy Hipskind, Stamboldjiev was not properly monitored or assessed as a fall risk.

Stamboldjiev later fell, according to the complaint. Kutriansky claims the injuries he suffered contributed to his death.

Hipskind and Granite City Clinic Corp. were dimissed from the suit in late January.

Defendant Community Health Systems Inc. was dimissed in October 2008.
The trial is set to begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Although trials usually begin on Monday mornings, the courthouse is closed in honor of Presidents' Day.

Madison County Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder is assigned to the case. However, another trial on Crowder's docket is set for trial Tuesday also. It is not clear as yet if Crowder or another judge will oversee this trial.

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 according to the 2008 order.

The plaintiff is represented by Christian Montroy, who replaced her original attorney Ross Anderson.

The remaining defendants are Granite City Illinois Hospital Company LLC, Granite City Orthopedic Physicians Company, Schere, Donna
Wiegand, Sandra Mann and Irvin Schallenberg. They are all represented by Edwards Crites.

The case is Madison case number 07-L485.