A patient is suing his former doctor and his employing hospital, alleging the doctor prescribed increasing dosages of a narcotic medication when he should have known the patient was addicted.
David Stelmachowski filed a lawsuit June 11 in Cook County Circuit Court against Dr. William Mikaitis and Advocate Health and Hospitals Corp., doing business as Advocate Medical Group, alleging malpractice.
According to the lawsuit, from April 28, 2008, to July 17, 2013, Stelmachowski was a patient of Mikaitis, an Advocate doctor, and during that time the doctor prescribed Oxycontin on a monthly basis, and "consistently increased the dosage." At that time, the defendant was suffering the effects of Oxycontin addiction, the suit says.
The lawsuit alleges the defendant failed to properly prescribe the drug, properly monitor his patient while taking the drug and failed to recognize his patient's addiction. As a result, the plaintiff suffered personal and pecuniary injuries, the lawsuit states.
Stelmachowski seeks damages of more than $50,000, plus costs. He is represented by attorney John M. Saletta, of the Law Offices of John M. Saletta in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 2015L005954.