A female patient has sued a doctor and clinic over an infection she alleges was not detected as quickly as possible.
Janet Calvert filed suit April 28 in Cook County Circuit Court against Franciscan Alliance Inc., doing business as Franciscan Express Care, with locations in Chicago Heights and Frankfort, and Dr. Ather Malik, citing negligence.
According to the complaint, on April 2, 2014, Calvert had an abscess drained at Franciscan Express Care and the fluid then was sent for a culture screening at the lab. On April 5, the suit says, the lab results indicated an infection, and the next day, Calvert returned to Franciscan Express Care and was sent to the emergency room at Franciscan St. James Health hospital in Chicago Heights.
The complaint alleges the defendants were careless or negligent when they failed to refer Calvert to a specialist April 2 to treat a rectal abnormality; failed to admit her to the hospital April 2; failed to establish proper guidelines and protocols about abnormal lab results; failed to inform her promptly about her culture results; failed to diagnose her infection in a timely way; failed to treat the infection in a timely way; and failed to adequately educate staff and enforce existing guidelines.
As a result, the complaint says, Calvert "was severely and permanently injured; was caused and will be caused great pain and suffering, both physical and mental; has been caused and will in the future be caused disfigurement and disability; was deprived and will in the future be deprived of earnings; and has expended and will in the future expend great sums of money to be healed and cured of her injuries."
Calvert seeks unspecified damages, plus costs. She is is represented by attorney Alexander M. Sukhman, of Kralovec, Jambois and Schwartz in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number: 15-L-4398.