A family physician and a practice are being sued over claims that there was a failure to deliver a high enough dose of medication, or try another, to counter the effects of heart disease and high cholesterol.
Gerard Howard and his wife, Patricia, filed suit in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Dr. Paul Reger and Rural Family Medicine Associates, which has operated clinics in Mascoutah and Freeburg for the last eight years.
An office manager with Rural Family Medicine Associates told the Record that the practice is not able to talk about the filing.
The filing claims that Dr. Reger "failed to apply the knowledge and use the skill and care ordinarily used by a reasonably well-qualified health care provider and therefore was professionally negligent."
It is alleged in the complaint that the physician "negligently and carelessly failed to try a higher dose of fenofibrate or try another medicine to ameliorate the patient's hyperlipidemia," a high concentration of fats in the blood
Further, it is claimed the doctor "negligently and carelessly failed to appropriately treat a patient with high cholesterol," and did not diagnose cardiovascular disease in time.
It is claimed that because of these steps Howard "suffered cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction and injury to his body as a whole."
Gerald Howard claims "constant pain and suffering; loss of enjoyment of a normal life," as well as having to pay out money for medical expenses and hospital visits.
The plaintiff is seeking in excess of $50,000 and costs. Patricia Howard is suing for loss of consortium due to the alleged negligence. Sh.e is also seeking in excess of $50,000 plus costs from the defendants
They are represented by Joseph A. Bartholomew of Cook, Bartholomew, Shevlin & Cook of Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 2019-L-647.