Medication caused husband to bleed to death, suit claims

The wife of a recently deceased man has placed the blame for her husband's death on his doctor, alleging the doctor failed to realize medication would cause her husband to bleed to death.

Stephanie M. Francis filed a lawsuit Dec. 8 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Dr. Robert Garner and Belleville Family Medical Associates.

Francis claims her husband, Joseph L. Francis, died from gastrointestinal bleeding on July 8, 2009, after taking anti-inflammatory medication.

Francis claims Garner allegedly negligently failed to recognize that a July 4, 2009, evaluation failed to determine the cause of Joseph L. Francis' bleeding. In addition, the doctor allegedly failed to recognize that the anti-inflammatory medication caused the bleeding, according to the complaint.

Because of her husband's death, Stephanie M. Francis and the couple's two children -- Aaron Christopher Francis and Elise McKenna Francis -- have been deprived of Joseph L. Francis' services, companionship, comfort, instruction, guidance, counsel, training, love and support, the suit states.

In addition to Garner, Stephanie M. Francis names the doctor's employer, Belleville Family Medical Associates, as a defendant.

In her two-count complaint, Stephanie M. Francis seeks a judgment of more than $100,000, plus costs.

Joseph A. Bartholomew of Cook, Ysursa, Bartholomew, Brauer and Shevlin will be representing her.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-639.