Lawsuit over man’s death against Tiffin Mercy Hospital settled

TIFFIN, OH — A lawsuit against Tiffin Mercy Hospital filed by the family of a New Riegel man has been settled.

The man, Timothy Jenkins, of New Riegel, died in March 2017 after being admitted to Tiffin Mercy Hospital’s emergency room for severe chest pain and shortness of breath. Jenkins was placed under the care of Dr. Christopher Davis, who ordered tests and discharged Jenkins with prescriptions.

The lawsuit states that Davis told Jenkins to follow up with a primary care physician. Later that night after returning from the hospital, Jenkins’ family found him unresponsive in a bathroom, and he was transported back to Tiffin Mercy, according to the lawsuit.

The suit, filed by the family of Mr. Jenkins and the administrator of his estate, was settled, and costs are to be paid by the hospital: split 50-50 between Mercy Health – Tiffin Hospital, LLC and Mercy Emergency Care Services Inc. & Dr. Christopher Davis.

After attempts were made to resuscitate the man were unsuccessful, Jenkins was pronounced dead. According to the lawsuit, the family of Jenkins and the administrator of his estate allege that Davis neglected to properly interpret the results of Jenkins’ EKG testing.

Jenkins’ family says Jenkins should have been admitted to the hospital for treatment and observation rather than being discharged that night, in order to prevent a severe cardiac event.