Patient taking Fentanyl and Vicodin dies; doctors sued

Two Belleville doctors are being sued over the death of a man who was prescribed Fentanyl and Vicodin at the same time.

Ronda Morris, who is administrator of the estate of Raymond L. Morris, filed a lawsuit April 23 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Dr. Mounir Shenouda and Dr. Dhawesuk Tang.

She says Raymond L. Morris was admitted to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville on April 19, 2007, and was placed under Shenouda's and his partner's, Tang's, care.

On April 23, 2007, Raymond L. Morris was discharged from the hospital with a prescription for the drugs Fentanyl and Vicodin, according to court records.

Shenouda prescribed the Fentanyl while Tang prescribed the Vicodin, the complaint says.

Three days later, Raymond L. Morris died.

His death was caused because Shenouda and Tang prescribed excessive amounts of narcotic drugs and failed to consult with a pain management specialist concerning pain medications they should have prescribed, according to the complaint.

Both doctors also negligently failed to turn Raymond L. Morris's treatment over to a pain management specialist and failed to consult with each other concerning the prescription and administration of narcotic drugs, the suit states.

Because of Raymond L. Morris's death, Ronda Morris says his next of kin have suffered loss of his society and extreme grief and have become obligated to pay funeral expenses.

In the two-count suit, she is seeking a judgment in excess of $50,000, plus costs.

Terry N. Brown of Brown and Associates in Belleville will be representing her.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-211.