NEW ORLEANS – A Lincoln Parish couple say a six-hour delay for their daughter’s MRI until insurance payment could be verified left her permanently paralyzed.
Gregory and Michelle Scott, individually and on behalf of their minor child, Jordan Scott, filed a lawsuit March 21 in the U.S. District Court for Monroe Division of the Western District of Louisiana against Northern Louisiana Medical Center, Ruston Louisiana Hospital Co. LLC and Brady DuBois, alleging violations of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.
According to the complaint, Jordan was admitted to Northern’s emergency room on the morning of Aug. 19, 2014, with neurological deficiencies in her extremities. Although the suit claims the treating physician testified that he wanted to order an MRI at around 9 a.m., the test was delayed until 3 p.m. when reimbursement from the insurance company could be verified. Eventually diagnosed with a hematoma of the spinal cord, Jordan was left with permanent injuries that could have been minimized with swifter treatment, the suit says.
The Scotts seek a jury trial and special and general damages, plus litigation costs. They are represented by attorneys Oscar L. Shoenfelt III of Oscar L. Shoenfelt III LLC in Baton Rouge and by Russell A. Woodard Jr. of Breithaupt, Dunn, DuBos, Shafto & Wolleson LLC in Monroe.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Monroe Division Case number 3:16-cv-00376