HSHS St. Francis Hospital and Litchfield Family Practice Center, LLP, are being sued by the estate executor of deceased Madison County resident Kelsey Cox for alleged wrongful death.
According to the official court filing, Cox was placed under the care of HSHS and Litchfield on October 9 and was overseen by Laura Watt, M.D. However, Cox died on October 10, and her father, Illinois resident Christopher S. Cox, was appointed executor of her estate.
On her behalf, Christopher Cox sued all involved parties based on both the Illinois Survival Act and the Illinois Wrongful Death Statute. In the filing, Christopher Cox alleges that HSHS, Litchfield and Dr. Watt were guilty of the following negligent acts: failing to perform the vacuum extraction of Kelsey Cox's baby and/or placenta with due care, causing anterior and posterior cervical lacerations; and failing to repair said lacerations, leading to massive hemorrhage, the need for massive blood product transfusion, consumption coagulopathy, PEA cardiac arrest, and death.
The filing alleges that negligence on the part of the accused parties directly led to Kelsey Cox's death, depriving her next of kin of her love and companionship. HSHS, Litchfield and Dr. Watt are facing two counts each: one for wrongful death and one for wrongful death - survival.
Christopher Cox is seeking a financial sum equal to or greater than $75,000 from each charge in addition to other costs that the Court finds justified.