Clinic sued for allegedly allowing unlicensed and suspended doctors to practice

GRETNA – A women’s clinic is being sued by a patient who claims it allowed an unlicensed doctor and a suspended doctor to practice medicine and fraudulently attempted to conceal that they had botched a post-childbirth surgery.

Luz Aleyda Aguilar filed suit against Kevin Work M.D., Adrian J. Coleman, M.D., Norman Torres M.D., Canal Women’s Clinic, Ochsner Medical Center-Westbank, Louisiana Patient’s Compensation Fund, Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Company and their insurers in the 24th Judicial District Court on April 17.

Aguilar claims she was referred to Torres who the clinic held out to be a licensed doctor and who had a blank prescription pad provided to him that allegedly had been signed by Work so that Torres could write medications to patients. In addition, the plaintiff alleges that Coleman, who is now deceased, had his medical license suspended, but was still allowed by the clinic to deliver babies, including during her childbirth. Aguilar asserts that by allowing unqualified doctors to oversee her childbirth she was disfigured in post-childbirth surgery and later she contracted an infection requiring a second surgical repair. In addition, the plaintiff claims she was at a disadvantage for finding out about the alleged mistreatment because the defendants knew she could not speak English.

An unspecified amount in damages is sought for physical pain and anguish, mental pain and anguish, embarrassment, humiliation, scarring, restoration, loss of life’s enjoyment, medical expenses, attorney fees and court costs.

Aguilar is represented by James E. Shields of Gretna-based Shields & Shields APLC.

The case has been assigned to Division I Judge Nancy A. Miller.

Case no. 737-590.