65-year-old falls after X-ray at medical center and dies days later, SC lawsuit says
A 65-year-old died days after she fell at a South Carolina medical center, causing her to hit her head and shoulder, her husband said.
Julius W. McCullar Jr. said the incident left his wife needing “extensive care” and led to her being removed from a liver transplant list before she died.
Now, the husband of the woman — who is remembered as a “devoted mother” and an avid competitive bowler — is suing the Medical University of South Carolina. In a Dec. 20 court filing, he accuses the Charleston-area hospital system of not taking enough precautions to prevent the deadly fall.
In response to McClatchy News’ request for comment, MUSC in an email said it doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
The allegations date back to July 12, 2021, when Elizabeth “Liz” Leona Burr McCullar reportedly went to MUSC for a thoracentesis, “a procedure to remove fluid or air from around the lungs,” Johns Hopkins Medicine said on its website.
After the procedure, she got an X-ray but then “felt weak and fell to the floor,” landing on her left arm, according to the court filing.
“As a result of the fall, Liz was diagnosed with a left displaced humerus fracture,” the lawsuit said. That type of fracture happens when “the pieces of your bone moved so much that a gap formed around the fracture when your bone broke,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Julius McCullar said the injuries his wife suffered in the fall were “significant and ultimately fatal.” Liz McCullar, who had longtime roots in the Columbia area, died July 27, 2021, according to an obituary on the Dignity Memorial website.
“MUSC knew or should have known that Liz was weak and unstable, and the X-ray examination and events thereafter could result in a dangerous fall,” according to the lawsuit, which also accuses the health care center of not providing adequate safety rails and having slippery surfaces.
The woman’s husband is seeking damages in the negligence case. An alternative dispute resolution also is listed in online case records, though an attorney believed to be representing Julius McCullar didn’t immediately share additional details about it with McClatchy News on Dec. 21.
This story was originally published December 21, 2022 at 3:26 PM.
