St. E’s, copter service sued

Lawsuit alleges wrongful death

staff report

YOUNGSTOWN — The estate of an elderly woman has sued St. Elizabeth Health Center and a Pittsburgh-based helicopter operator, saying the woman fell and was injured when she was hit by the downdraft from the helicopter approaching the hospital’s landing area.

The wrongful-death suit was filed by Robert O. Whitmore of New Waterford, administrator of the estate of his mother, Ella Mae Whitmore, who died this year at age 89.

The lawsuit, which demands a jury trial and more than $25,000 in damages, was filed earlier this week in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court by attorneys Ilan Wexler and Raymond J. Tisone.

Listed as defendants are St. Elizabeth, the life-flight helicopter operation of Allegheny General Hospital, and an unidentified helicopter pilot, listed as John Doe.

The lawsuit alleges negligence by the helicopter pilot and St. Elizabeth, and it says St. Elizabeth posted no guards at its emergency-room door and issued no warnings about the dangers of approaching helicopters.

Ella Mae Whitmore, a visitor to the hospital June 11, 2007, fell as she left the building and headed for a parking lot, according to the lawsuit.

The suit alleges that the downdraft from the helicopter cased Whitmore to fall, and Wexler said he believes the injuries she suffered in the fall contributed to her death.

A St. Elizabeth spokeswoman declined to comment Wednesday, and an Allegheny General spokesman did not respond to a request to comment.

The case is assigned to Judge Lou A. D’Apolito.