Case management conference set in 2005 wrongful death suit

A case management conference will be held Tuesday in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the husband of a cancer victim against her doctors.

The case was filed in 2005 and is currently set for trial Oct. 13. The case has gone through several rounds of mediation and previous trial dates have been vacated.

The conference is set for 9 a.m. May 26.

Plaintiff Ronald Pruitt filed the suit against Riverbend Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Robert Lutan, Boyd Fillager Clinic and Dr. James Reid four years ago. Pruitt, acting as the special administrator of his wife, Diana's estate, contends that the defendant's negligence caused his wife to die of cancer in July 2003.

His suit has sought at least $600,000.

Ronald Pruitt alleges that the doctors failed to properly diagnose the cause of his wife's chest discomfort that began in 2001. He further argues that the defendants failed to recognize Diana Pruitt's cancer risk, failed to perform a chest x-ray, CT scan, lab tests and other examinations that would have found the cancer.

The plaintiff contends Diana Pruitt suffered pain, bodily injury, disability, loss of a normal like and loss of income. He also argues that he and the couple's four adult children suffered significant losses in the form of medical, funeral and burial expenses.

The suit seeks damages for the plaintiff under the survival statue, alleging Diana Pruitt suffered great injuries of a personal and pecuniary nature. The survival statute is 755 ILCS 5/27-6.

Ronald Pruitt is represented by John Webster of Williamson, Webster, Falb & Glisson of Alton.

Lutan is represented by James E. Neville of Belleville. Boyd Fillager Clinic and Reid are represented by Jeffrey Glass of Belleville.

The case was originally assigned to Madison Circuit Judge George Moran Jr.

Madison Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder is now presiding.

The case is Madison case number 05-L-002.