Carr files med mal case in federal court

Patricia Newby filed a medical malpractice suit against the United States of America in federal court in East St. Louis Nov. 9, seeking $2 million in damages.

According to the complaint filed by attorney Rex Carr, the suit is filed against the federal government because the alleged negligence was caused by a government employee at the Clay Medical Center on Nov. 18, 2004.

Newby claims she was at the clinic for a checkup and was seen by Jane James APN-CNP and Fred Cycholl, M.D.

She claims she was provided substandard care when she was prescribed Triam/HCTZ, a sulfa drug used to treat high blood pressure.

"The medical records clearly show, Patricia Newby was allergic to sulfa drugs," the complaint states.

Newby claims she told James that she had a reaction to sulfa drugs, but was reassured that the new medication would not be a problem.

Newby claims as a result she has suffered serious permanent injuries from grand mal seizures including ruptured disks in her back, a rotator cuff injury, and an injury to her jaw causing her to suffer extreme pain and suffering and wage loss.

According to court records, two days after Newby took the drugs she was taken to the emergency room at Clay County Hospital with symptoms of nausea, shakiness and headaches.

She also was pale and weak and lab results done at the emergency room showed she had become hyponatremic and was suffering from hypoosmolality which results from excessive fluid retentions.

Newby also suffered two seizures at the hospital and had to be airlifted to a Mt. Vernon hospital.