A new legal complaint outlines allegations that a hospital and its staff failed to provide adequate medical care, resulting in the death of a patient after surgery. The lawsuit was filed on March 26, 2026, in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit for Pinellas County, Florida, by Michael Russillo as personal representative of the Estate of Jean Russillo and individually. The defendants named are Tarpon Springs Hospital Foundation doing business as AdventHealth North Pinellas, Dr. Jared Conte Frattini, registered nurse Lisa LaClaire, and Gulf Coast Surgical Group.
According to the complaint, Jean Russillo underwent an exploratory laparotomy at AdventHealth North Pinellas on December 20, 2023. During this procedure, additional colon was removed due to what was believed to be a mass near the transverse colon. The complaint states that complications arose during and after surgery, including compromised blood supply requiring further removal of colon tissue.
The document details a series of events over several days following the initial operation. On December 21 and 22, Jean Russillo reportedly experienced symptoms such as abdominal pain, distention, nausea, low blood pressure, and decreased oxygen saturation. Medical records cited in the filing show multiple communications between nurse LaClaire and Dr. Frattini regarding changes in Mrs. Russillo’s condition.
The complaint alleges that despite signs of deterioration—including increased pain and laboratory findings suggestive of infection—there were delays in taking further surgical action or transferring Mrs. Russillo to another facility for higher-level care. A second exploratory laparotomy was performed on December 22 by Dr. Frattini to repair a small bowel injury; contamination from missed injury was found during this operation.
Over subsequent days in late December 2023, Jean Russillo’s condition continued to worsen with signs including lactic acidosis, septic shock, rising white blood cell counts indicating infection or inflammation, fever up to 103 degrees Fahrenheit, ecchymosis (bruising) on her abdominal wall, bilious drainage from her wound site, and lack of documented surgical rounds on certain dates.
On December 31, Dr. Rishi Hans Ramlogan performed another exploratory laparotomy discovering a large perforation in the jejunum along with necrosis (tissue death) in portions of the intestine and abdominal wall. After further surgical intervention including resection (removal) of necrotic tissue and creation of an ileostomy (surgical opening for waste), Mrs. Russillo was transferred on January 1 to Tampa General Hospital with multiple severe complications such as respiratory failure and septic shock.
Jean Russillo died on January 10, 2024.
The plaintiff claims that Dr. Frattini breached standards of care by exceeding informed consent during surgery; causing injuries during operations; failing to properly repair injuries; not documenting follow-up or timely interventions; starting tube feedings despite evidence suggesting it was unsafe; failing to recognize or respond appropriately to post-operative complications; among other alleged failures listed in detail within the complaint.
Nurse LaClaire is accused of failing to recognize or escalate warning signs post-surgery; not initiating rapid response protocols for deteriorating patients; failing to follow escalation procedures for vasopressor management in intensive care; and not meeting standards expected from similar healthcare providers.
Tarpon Springs Hospital Foundation is alleged to have failed its duties both directly and through vicarious liability for its employees’ actions or omissions—including those by Dr. Frattini and Nurse LaClaire—and is accused under several legal theories: direct negligence leading to wrongful death; actual agency; apparent agency based on representations made about staff expertise; violation of Florida Statute §766.110 regarding selection and review of medical staff competence; breach of non-delegable duty under state law and federal regulations governing hospitals receiving Medicare/Medicaid funds.
Gulf Coast Surgical Group is also named as vicariously liable for acts attributed to Dr. Frattini while providing services at AdventHealth North Pinellas under contract arrangements described in the filing.
The plaintiff seeks judgment against all defendants for damages related to wrongful death—including loss suffered by Jean Russillo’s estate such as net accumulations she would have left had she survived—as well as compensation for mental pain endured by her spouse Michael Russillo due to loss of love and companionship. Additional relief sought includes medical expenses incurred before her passing plus funeral costs.
Attorneys representing Michael Russillo are M. Nicole Kruegel (Florida Bar No. 102702) and Sean C. Domnick (Florida Bar No. 843679) from Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The case is identified as Case Number: 26-001867-CI.
Source: 26001867CI_Michael_Russillo_v_Tarpon_Springs_Complaint_Pinellas_County_Florida.pdf
