A tragic case of alleged medical negligence has emerged from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, where the widow of a deceased man has filed a lawsuit against two healthcare providers. Deborah A. Olszewski, acting as the administratrix of her late husband Robert J. Olszewski's estate, filed the complaint on June 7, 2024, in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County against Greenery Operating, LLC and Quest Diagnostics Venture, LLC.
The lawsuit centers around the events leading up to Robert J. Olszewski's death on April 13, 2023. According to the complaint, Mr. Olszewski died from complications related to a urinary tract infection (UTI) that was allegedly mismanaged by both defendants. The plaintiff claims that Greenery Operating LLC, which operates as Greenery Center for Rehab and Nursing, failed to provide timely and adequate medical care while Mr. Olszewski was under their care from March 20 to April 12, 2023. During this period, Mr. Olszewski exhibited signs of a UTI that were reportedly ignored or inadequately addressed by the nursing staff and attending physician Dr. Nicholas Ditullio.
The complaint details how Mr. Olszewski’s condition deteriorated over several days due to what is described as a series of failures by Greenery's staff to order timely urinalysis tests and follow up on lab results with Quest Diagnostics Venture LLC. The plaintiff alleges that despite clear signs of infection such as cloudy urine observed as early as April 2, 2023, appropriate diagnostic tests were delayed or mishandled.
On multiple occasions between April 2 and April 10, Deborah A. Olszewski and her sister-in-law Susan Welch raised concerns about Mr. Olszewski’s worsening condition with Greenery’s staff but were met with assurances that proved misleading or incorrect according to the complaint. It wasn't until April 4 that an order for urinalysis was placed by Dr. Ditullio; however, Quest Diagnostics failed to perform the test due to labeling discrepancies they did not promptly communicate back to Greenery.
As detailed in the court filing: "Mr. Olszewski’s death was also the result of an improper delay in testing and reporting out the results of Mr. Olszewski’s submitted urine specimens by Defendant Quest." The failure allegedly continued when another specimen collected on April 10 was not reported back until after Mr. Olszewski had already passed away.
Plaintiff Deborah A. Olszewski is seeking damages under Pennsylvania's Wrongful Death Act and Survival Act for pecuniary loss, funeral expenses, administrative costs associated with her husband's estate management as well as compensation for his pain and suffering before death due to septic shock resulting from untreated urosepsis.
Representing Deborah A. Olszewski are attorneys Bernard Rizza Esq., Craig Frischman Esq., and William Snow Esq., all from Frischman & Rizza P.C., based in Pittsburgh.
The Case ID is No GD-24-022403765.