Sports doc named in Madison County med mal case

A Madison County woman claims that a locally renowned sports medicine doctor and part owner of a professional hockey team performed medically unnecessary surgery on her right shoulder in January 2006.

Susan Presswood filed suit in Madison County against Dr. Richard Lehman -- a former St. Louis Blues team doctor and head of the U.S. Center for Sports Medicine in Kirkwood, Mo.-- claiming he failed to prescribe non-operative treatment for a torn rotator cuff.

Lehman also is part owner of the Florida Panthers hockey team.

In the suit filed July 13 she also claims Lehman misused a metal shaver during surgery on Jan. 23, 2006, and later performed an unnecessary arthogram on Sept. 11, 2006.

The lawsuit also names Granite City chiropractor Mark Eavenson as a defendant alleging that he failed to observe that Presswood's right shoulder was not improving after several years of physical therapy.

The suit states that Lehman and Eavenson have a business relationship, wherein they refer patients to each other.

According to the suit, Presswood was Eavenson's patient from 1999 through 2004.

"Defendant (Eavenson) waited too long to refer Plaintiff Susan Presswood to an adequate medical specialist, in light of her continued pain after her January 23, 2006 surgery," the complaint states.

Presswood claims that after Lehman performed an arthrogram -- which indicated a possible tear -- she was referred to another doctor, Dr. Jay Keener.

On Oct. 12, 2006, she was referred to Dr. Ken Yamaguchi who later performed a right shoulder latissimus dorsi tendon transfer on Dec. 11, 2006.

Randy Presswood also is seeking damages for loss of consortium.

Seeking in exess of $200,000 in damages, the Presswoods are represented by Amy Collignon Gunn of Simon Passanante in St. Louis.