Madison County Circuit Judge Vincent Lopinot granted a motion to dismiss with prejudice as to all defendants on Nov. 25 in a lawsuit alleging an 18-year-old woman died after her brain grew through her fractured skull.
According to the complaint filed July 3, Sandra Hall claims her daughter, Chelsea Weekley, died after a fracture in her skull expanded, allowing her brain to grow through the crack and attach to her scalp. Weekley has sustained the fractured skull as a baby in 1993 when she fell on her head onto a concrete floor at a Wal-Mart store, the suit states.
Dr. Daniel Barr was named a defendant because he treated Weekley for the injury at defendant Sparta Community Hospital, allegedly diagnosing her with a concussion and bruising. Dr. Elvira Salarda was named a defendant for being Weekley’s childhood physician and providing her treatment at the time she sustained the skull fracture.
Dr. Todd Vonderheide, Rural Family Medicine Associates, Red Bud Family Medicine and Dr. J. M. Dugan were also named defendants for treating Weekley and failing to diagnose her with a skull fracture that was expanding throughout her youth.
Rhonda D. Fiss of Belleville represents Hall.
James E. Neville of Neville, Richards, & Wuller LLC in Belleville represents Vonderheide and Rural Family Medicine Associates.
Richard K. Hunsaker of Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen in Edwardsville represents Sparta Community Hospital and Salarda.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 13-L-345
Lawsuit alleging woman's brain grew through skull fracture dismissed
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