A Belleville couple is suing over a pain pump that allegedly malfunctioned and caused the wife permanent damage and the husband loss of consortium, under Illinois law.
Theresa Schanz and Edward Schanz filed the suit on Aug. 20 in Saint Clair County Circuit Court against Medtronic, Inc.; Anthony R. Anderson, MD; Memorial Medical Group, LLC; Protestant Memorial Medical Center, Inc.; and St. Elizabeth's Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis.; Matthew McCormick, representative of Medtronic, is named a Respondent in Discovery.
On Oct. 7, 2007, Theresa Schanz had implanted a pain pump to relieve spinal pain. On August 20, 2013, defendant Anderson performed a dye study to assess the performance of the pump. The plaintiff says that same day the pump discharged an overdose of narcotic pain medication. On July 31, 2014, the pump was surgically removed at Memorial Hospital.
Theresa Schanz alleges counts of implied warranty, professional negligence and product liability. Concurrently, Edward Schanz is suing for loss of consortium under each individual allegation.
Both seek at least $50,000 plus court costs; they also want a jury trial.
The plaintiffs' attorney is Kevin T. Hoerner, Becker, Hoerner, Thompson & Ysursa, PC, Belleville, Illinois.
Saint Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-472.