BELLEVILLE —A man is suing several healthcare professionals after he allegedly suffered a failed total shoulder arthroplasty.
A. Leroy Thomas filed the complaint on Feb. 27 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Biomet Manufacturing LLC, Biomet U.S. Reconstruction LLC, Biomet Orthopedics LLC, Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc, Zimmer U.S. Inc., doing business as Zimmer Biomet, Charles L. Lehmann M.D., Fairview Heights Medical Group S.C., doing business as BJC Medical Group of Illinois and BJC Medical Group Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, and Memorial Medical Group LLC.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges he saw Lehmann on Feb. 22, 2017 with complaints of shoulder pain. Thomas had a total shoulder arthroplasty and alleges he suffered a limited range of motion following the procedure. Thomas alleges the pain continued to increase, but on Feb. 28, 2017 the defendants found that nothing was wrong.
On April 12, 2017 and May 3, 2018 the plaintiff was seen by specialists who also found nothing wrong with his shoulder.
Then on August 13, 2018, Lehmann diagnosed the plaintiff with a failed left total shoulder arthroplasty and said he had to perform a revision.
Thomas alleges the doctors he had seen failed to inform him that he had any issues with his shoulder, despite it being clear that the humeral component of the prosthetic was not in place.
The plaintiff is seeking more than $50,000 for damages suffered. He is represented by Matthew T. Nagel of Bistate Law Center in Chesterfield.
St. Clair County Circuit Court Case number 19-L-150