Cape Girardeau County (Mo) Circuit Court
In 1995, a woman presented to her Ob/Gyn with a urinary tract infection (UTI). A culture revealed Proteus bacteria. Some time later, kidney stones developed, resulting in kidney failure in 1998. The patient was placed on dialysis. After continuing infection and blood clotting, the 47-year-old woman was ineligible for a kidney transplant. She died in July 2000.
In suing, the patient’s family argued that the kidney failure could have been surgically reversed in 1998 had the Proteus bacteria been properly treated.
The Ob/Gyn claimed that the patient’s primary-care physician was responsible for follow-up of her bacterial infection. The primary-care physician, however, claimed it was the Ob/Gyn’s responsibility.
- The Ob/Gyn and the kidney specialist settled with the plaintiff for $950,000 under the condition that they are allowed to seek contributions from the primary-care physician.