A woman claims she lost control of her legs after doctors performed multiple spinal taps on her, causing internal bleeding.
Mildred Cox-Wicks claims she went to the emergency room at defendant Protestant Memorial Medical Center on Dec. 15 with complaints of severe head pain. Emergency room physicians and defendants Maripat Gatter, Kathryn MacDonald and Nina Luxenberg performed multiple spinal taps on Cox-Wicks, according to the complaint filed Aug. 6 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.
The spinal taps, however, were a mistake because Cox-Wicks was being treated for hypertension at the time and took the drug Plavix, the suit states. As a result of her ingestion of the drug, she was at risk for bleeding, the complaint says.
In turn, Cox-Wicks claims she suffered internal bleeding around her spine, causing profound damage to her neurologic and muscular skeletal system and making her lose control of her legs.
She was transferred to Barnes Hospital in St. Louis for her care and treatment, which caused her great physical pain and emotional distress, according to the complaint.
In her complaint, Cox-Wicks is seeking a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs.
Greg Roosevelt of Roosevelt Law Office in Edwardsville will be representing her.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 12-L-404.