A dental patient claims she suffered permanent disfigurement after developing an abscess from a double tooth extraction.
Paige Osborne filed the complaint on June 12 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against the U.S.
According to the complaint, Osborne claims that on July 28, 2017, she visited the Maple Street Clinic in Gillespie, which is operated by the Macoupin County Public Health Department. She went for an initial visit with complaints of a toothache, as well as pain and swelling that had lasted for a few days. She alleges Blake Ferando, DMD, performed a dental extraction of two teeth. Following the procedure, Osborne called the office to complain of pain and swelling.
Osborne returned to the dental office on Aug. 1, 2017, and was seen by Ferando for recurrent swelling, limited ability to open her mouth, and difficulty breathing.
On Aug. 4, 2017, Osborne went to Alton Memorial Hospital, complaining of right-sided facial and mandibular pain and swelling from her teeth extraction. A CT scan of her neck revealed an abscess of the right jaw. She was transferred by ambulance to Barnes-Jewish Hospital and was admitted with a dental abscess that had spread into a right masticator space abscess, the suit states.
The following day, Osborne underwent an extraoral incision and drainage of the abscess. She was discharged on Aug. 11, 2017.
Osborne alleges the defendant negligently and carelessly failed to provide adequate dental care, failed to objectively evaluate her condition, failed to properly treat her infection prior to performing the extractions, failed to properly diagnose her post-operative infection, and failed to provide proper follow-up care, among other allegations.
As a result, Osborne claims she suffered permanent injuries to her jaw, teeth, mouth, face, head and neck. She also alleges she sustained emotional trauma, permanent scarring, disability, disfigurement, loss of a normal life, and lost wages.
The suit states that Osborne submitted an administrative claim regarding her injuries on July 10, 2019, by presenting a Form 95 to the Department of Health and Human Services. The form was received on July 15, 2019, and was allegedly denied on Jan. 24, 2020. She filed her complaint in federal court less than six months later.
Osbrone seeks a judgment in excess of $6 million, plus costs.
She is represented by Daniel Katzman of Katzman & Sugden LLC in Belleville.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:20-cv-554