ST. LOUIS — A woman is suing a physician and medical facilities, citing alleged medical negligence by failing to meet required standard of due care.
Eva Westmoreland filed a complaint June 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Eastern Division against Medtronic Inc., Medtronic USA Inc. and Jeff Belkowski, alleging that the defendants failed their duty to render the degree of skill and learning ordinarily used by health care providers.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Dec. 1, 2014, Betty Saulsbery underwent surgery due to abdominal aortic aneurysm. During the procedure, Saulsbery was allegedly given the wrong size of Medtronic graft, which caused her left renal artery to be ripped apart, resulting in her death. As a result, Westmoreland, her daughter, suffered pain due to the untimely death of her mother and economic loss because of medical and funeral expenses.
The plaintiff holds Medtronic, Medtronic USA and Belkowski responsible because the defendants allegedly failed to administer the correct surgery procedure needed for the patient's condition, recommended a graft procedure that contraindicated the size of the patient's aortic anatomy and used a stent graft that was too large for the patient's aorta.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment in an amount in excess of $75,000 exclusive of interest and costs, actual and aggravating circumstance damages, costs, pre and post-judgment interest, and for such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper. She is represented by Douglas P. Dowd and Lia Obata Dowd of Dowd & Dowd PC in St. Louis.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Eastern Division case number 4:17-cv-01626-DDN