West Jefferson Medical Center sued by man for loss of partial use of finger

GRETNA – A Jefferson Parish man is suing a local hospital for the partial loss of use of one of his fingers he claims came after negligent treatment.

Huey P. Marcel Jr., and wife Debra, filed suit against Rehabcare Group Inc., Dr. Alireza Sadeghi, Dr. Charles L. Dupin, Hospital District No. 1 for the Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana and West Jefferson Medical Center in the 24th Judicial District Court on April 15.

Huey Marcel claims he was admitted to West Jefferson Medical Center on Oct. 1, 2007 with a staph infection on his left ring finger. A doctor claims to have cleaned the infection on Oct. 3 and 5, 2007, however, the plaintiff alleges the forms for the procedures on those days were left blank. The lawsuit also asserts that the nursing assessment and documentation for both procedures fell below the standard of care with significant gaps of any observation of the surgical site. In addition, the case states that Marcel was ordered to resume taking all pre-operative medications whereas normal normal procedure would require new medications to be ordered.

On Oct. 8, 2007 Marcel was taken back into surgery to close his wound and that afterward Dupin allegedly gave a verbal order for occupational therapy. The plaintiff claims that on Oct. 9 an occupational therapist, who was operating under a temporary permit, who checked off on the chart that he did the therapy only a day after the wound site had been closed. Dupin later saw the bloody drainage had been coming out of the wound site and immediately scheduled Marcel for a subsequent surgery to again close the wound, which was completed following day. Following the incident the plaintiff had two more surgeries as his condition worsened and he eventually lost the partial use of his finger.

The defendant is accused of failing to provide and monitor the post operative care for the plaintiff, failing to properly transcribe post-operative orders, reporting a blanket order to resume all pre-op medications, failing to prevent non-ordered occupational therapy, failure by the nursing staff to notify of the plaintiff’s injury due to occupational therapy, failing to ensure employees follow policy and procedure and failing to follow policies and procedures pertaining to timely and accurate documentation of orders.

An unspecified amount in damages is sought for lost partial use of finger, physical pain, mental pain, unnecessary medical expenses and loss of wages.

The plaintiffs are represented by Thomas J. Barbera of the New Orleans-based Law Offices of Fred L. Herman.

The case has been assigned to Division K Judge Ellen Shirer Kovach.

Case no. 726-010.