NEW ORLEANS – A doctor at Children’s Hospital is being sued for allegedly failing to correctly remove a catheter device from a patient and negligently leaving the pieces inside him.
Melissa Shannon, individually, and on behalf of her minor child, filed suit against Evans P. Valerie M.D. in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court on Aug. 1.
On Sept. 29, 2010, Dr. Valerie performed the surgical procedure to remove a catheter device to allow intravenous access for chemotherapy on Shannon's child at Children’s Hospital, according to the complaint. Dr. Valerie allegedly failed to properly remove the device, causing the catheter to break into pieces, left the pieces in the plaintiff and failed to recognize the broken device.
Two months later, Shannon's child was admitted to Children’s Hospital to remove the pieces of the device, after they were found on a routine echocardiogram.
The defendant is accused of being specifically negligent, careless, unskillful, and of failing to promptly recognize the missing pieces of the device, failure to render adequate treatment and failure to secure informed consent.
The plaintiffs seek an unspecified amount of damages for physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, medical expenses, loss of wages and loss of enjoyment of life.
The plaintiffs are represented by Pierre F. Gremillion of Law Offices of Pierre F. Gremillion LLC.
The case has been assigned to Division J Judge Paula A. Brown.
Case no. 2013-07228.
Children’s Hospital doctor sued on medical malpractice claims
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