Edwardsville Ambulatory Surgery Center
Two years after receiving a clean bill of health, Walter Hickey of St. Clair County underwent a second colonoscopy on Aug. 3, 2004, which indicated cancer had spread to other organs of his body, including his liver.
On May 26, Hickey filed a four-count suit in Madison County against physician Ronald Gould, M.D., G.I. Inc. and Edwardsville Ambulatory Surgery Center, claiming they failed to thoroughly perform the first colonoscopy and diagnose the presence of cancer.
In his suit, Hickey claims he has had to undergo extensive medical treatment, including chemotherapy.
His first colonoscopy was performed by Gould on Sept. 23, 2002.
Hickey, who is seeking at least $200,000 in damages, claims the defendants deviated from the standards of medical care by not properly examining the films of the first procedure and not providing a detailed medical report.
He is represented by William Berry of Dunham, Boman & Leskera of Collinsville.
"Subsequent attending physicians were provided inadequate information in order to provide treatment to plaintiff, or to properly diagnosis plaintiff's condition, until the performance of the second colonscopy," the complaint states.
As a result of the alleged negligence, Hickey claims he will not be able to finish the educational program he had entered.
"Plaintiff was and will in the future be unable to complete in a timely fashion the educational program which he was attending at the time of the diagnosis and further to secure employment, commensurate with a degree that he would receive as a result of the completion of that educational program," the suit states.