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By Joseph Altman Jr.
Arizona Daily Wildcat
September 18, 1996
The family of a UA football player, who collapsed at practice last year and later died, has filed a $3 million claim against University Medical Center, the UA and the state.Damon Terrell, who was slated to be the Wildcats' starting tight end in the 1995 season, died Sept. 7, 1995, 28 days after he collapsed during a morning workout with the UA football team. He was 21.
In a four-page claim filed with the Arizona Attorney General in May, Ricky and Linda Terrell assert the defendants were negligent because NCAA rules were violated and appropriate treatment was not undertaken during the events that transpired after Terrell collapsed Aug. 10, 1995.
The claim is expected to be heard by the state Joint Legislative Budget Committee next week. If the committee rejects the claim, the family could take the case to court.
Terrell collapsed about 7:45 a.m., shortly after performing two 300-yard "shuttle runs." He was given first aid, but paramedics were not called until 8:35 a.m., a "very significant delay," the family claims.
Terrell was transported to UMC, admitted and diagnosed with dehydration and exertional rhabdomyolysis, a disease that entails the breakdown of skeletal muscle and is potentially fatal.
The Terrell family alleges the UA and the football team were negligent and violated NCAA guidelines by failing to allow Terrell to become accustomed to the climate for seven to 10 days before engaging in strenuous exercise. NCAA guidelines were also violated, the family claims, when immediate cooling measures were not initiated to stop the impending heatstroke Terrell was suffering, according to McKale Center records.
The claim also alleges that at UMC, employees failed to monitor Terrell adequately or maintain appropriate circulation, which resulted in the need for dialysis.
Terrell died after the dialysis catheter was later removed. An autopsy report later showed an air bubble blocking blood flow to Terrell's heart was the "terminal event" that ended his life. The air embolism that brought on a cardiopulmonary arrest most likely developed when a dialysis catheter was removed from Terrell's neck, the autopsy report stated.
Ricky and Linda Terrell are also seeking damages for negligent infliction of emotional distress, claiming they were present when the catheter was removed, and they witnessed their son grabbing his chest and "pleading that he 'couldn't breathe'" before he died.
After Terrell's death, Greg Pivirotto, CEO of University Medical Center Corp., stated that allegations of misconduct by UMC in the death were false.
UMC officials said yesterday the hospital has no comment regarding the Terrells' claim.
The Terrells' attorney, Terrance A. Jackson, the Arizona Attorney General's Office and the UA also refused to comment.
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