The estate of a Lincoln County woman who died last year has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center and a Danville doctor.
The complaint, filed in Boyle Circuit Court by Frank Paul Gregor III, administrator of the estate of Mary Singleton, alleges the hospital and Dr. John H. Lacy did not meet the appropriate standard of care in failing to properly diagnose Singleton’s medical condition, and that such negligence led to her death on Feb. 22, 2012.
Neither the hospital or Lacy have yet responded to allegations made in the complaint.
According to the lawsuit, Singleton, who lived in Crab Orchard, first sought treatment for abdominal pain and severe diarrhea in September 2011 and had her first visit with Lacy in October. A colonoscopy was performed by Dr. Mark Bruner at the hospital in December, the lawsuit states.
After some improvement, Singleton returned to Lacy’s office on Feb. 13, complaining of chills, severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, and after a CT scan of her abdomen and pelvis was conducted, Singleton was admitted to the Danville hospital, the lawsuit states. Singleton had lost 30 pounds since January, the complaint claims.
On Feb. 20, Lacy consulted with Dr. Mark Spurlin about transferring Singleton to another medical facility. Lacy felt the best course of action was the removal of her gall bladder while Spurlin thought she should be moved to another facility because her weight was below McDowell’s criteria for surgery, according to the lawsuit.
On Feb. 21, as Lacy was preparing for the operation and making initial incisions, a large amount of “foul smelling fluid” was released from Singleton’s small bowel, which was infected with gangrene. It was then decided to stop the operation, the complaint states. Singleton died the next day.
The lawsuit, which states only the plaintiff’s side of the story, asks for an unspecified amount of damages for medical and funeral expenses, pain and suffering, emotional pain, loss of income and punitive damages. It was filed by London attorney Jason E. Williams.
The complaint, filed in Boyle Circuit Court by Frank Paul Gregor III, administrator of the estate of Mary Singleton, alleges the hospital and Dr. John H. Lacy did not meet the appropriate standard of care in failing to properly diagnose Singleton’s medical condition, and that such negligence led to her death on Feb. 22, 2012.
Neither the hospital or Lacy have yet responded to allegations made in the complaint.
According to the lawsuit, Singleton, who lived in Crab Orchard, first sought treatment for abdominal pain and severe diarrhea in September 2011 and had her first visit with Lacy in October. A colonoscopy was performed by Dr. Mark Bruner at the hospital in December, the lawsuit states.
After some improvement, Singleton returned to Lacy’s office on Feb. 13, complaining of chills, severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, and after a CT scan of her abdomen and pelvis was conducted, Singleton was admitted to the Danville hospital, the lawsuit states. Singleton had lost 30 pounds since January, the complaint claims.
On Feb. 20, Lacy consulted with Dr. Mark Spurlin about transferring Singleton to another medical facility. Lacy felt the best course of action was the removal of her gall bladder while Spurlin thought she should be moved to another facility because her weight was below McDowell’s criteria for surgery, according to the lawsuit.
On Feb. 21, as Lacy was preparing for the operation and making initial incisions, a large amount of “foul smelling fluid” was released from Singleton’s small bowel, which was infected with gangrene. It was then decided to stop the operation, the complaint states. Singleton died the next day.
The lawsuit, which states only the plaintiff’s side of the story, asks for an unspecified amount of damages for medical and funeral expenses, pain and suffering, emotional pain, loss of income and punitive damages. It was filed by London attorney Jason E. Williams.
