BELLEVILLE – A patient's trip and fall following surgery has led to a medical negligence lawsuit against two health centers.
Godfrey residents Christina Kiel, and her husband, Michael, filed suit Nov. 14 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against the Center for Gastrointestinal Health and Metroeast Endoscopic Surgery Center, both with an address at North Illinois Street in Fairview Heights.
The suit states that on March 13, Christina Kiel went to the center for planned surgery and was sedated for the procedure. She was then taken to a recovery room.
According to the complaint, staff asked Kiel "to move from a bed to a chair without assistance in the post-procedure period when she did not yet have appropriate baseline orientation to person, time and place."
She alleges she was not able to walk properly without assistance. It is further alleged that no post-anesthetic evaluation was carried out and that she was not properly supervised in the period after surgery.
As Kiel moved from the bed to the chair, she alleges she "tripped over a floor-mounted bed stopping device causing her to suffer from a severe trimalleolar ankle fracture."
She subsequently needed to undergo "significant medical treatment including open operative fixation and reduction of the fracture," the suit states.
She alleges she is likely to need medical care and treatment in the future as the result of the fall, which will mean further expenses in addition to a loss of wages.
The medical facilities are also accused of premises liability for failing "to guard or otherwise protect the uncovered bed stop on the floor," and failing to warn the plaintiff of the dangerous condition, the suit states.
Michael Kiel is suing over allegations of loss of consortium and alleges that is his life was also affected by the injury suffered by his wife and its aftermath.
The plaintiffs, who are represented by Eric J. Carlson of Byron Carlson Petri & Kalb of Edwardsville, are seeking more than $50,000 in damages.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 2019-L-800