BELLEVILLE – A patient is suing a Belleville hospital, alleging he suffered permanent injuries when a tourniquet was left unattended on his arm.
Dennis L. Etling filed the lawsuit Feb. 25 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against St. Elizabeth's Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, doing business as HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospitalin Belleville.
According to the complaint, on Feb. 17, 2014, Etling was admitted to St. Elzabeth's after he displayed shortness of breath and a cough. Employees of the defendant treated the plaintiff from Feb. 17-24, 2014, March 3-19, 2014, and on various occasions in May, June and July 2014, the suit says.
The lawsuit alleges St. Elizabeth's and its employees did not exercise a degree of skill and care that well-qualified medical personnel possess, resulting in the tourniquet being left unattended on the plaintiff's arm Feb. 24, 2014, causing him permanent injury.
The lawsuit states hospital employees failed to properly remove a blood sample from the plaintiff, failed to adequately examine him for injury to his arm, and failed to notify Etling of the harm done by the tourniquet.
As a result, according to the complaint, the plaintiff sustained severe and permanent injuries to his left arm, he will be prevented from attending to his usual duties and he has spent large sums of money on medical care. He also will continue to suffer pain and emotional distress, the suit says.
Etling seeks more than $50,000, plus court costs and other relief the court deems just and proper. He is represented by attorney John T. Papa of Callis, Papa & Szewczyk PC in Granite City.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 16-L-112