ST. LOUIS - Marjorie Williams filed a federal lawsuit on August 23 in the Eastern District of Missouri against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services d/b/a Affinia Healthcare for negligence.
According to the complaint, on Oct. 11, 2019, Williams was present for an appointment at St. Louis Dental complaining of pain and was examined by an employee named Reid Higginbotham, a non-licensed healthcare provider, presumably under the authority and supervision of Clifton Whitworth.
Higginbotham diagnosed Williams with pain associated with tooth #32 and recommended tooth extraction, the suit says, advising the tooth could not be restored. Higginbotham attempted to perform a #32 tooth extraction; he ended up fracturing the crown and attempted to remove the tooth roots from the alveolar bone with a surgical hand piece, the suit says.
Williams alleges that she was in more pain than normal and Higginbotham explained that pain was normal. On October 17, 2019, Williams reported back due to severe pain in her jaw and was instructed that it was “dry socket” and the extraction site needed to heal, the suit says.
On October 21, 2019 Williams reported to SSM DePaul Hospital emergency room complaining of ongoing pain and was diagnosed with a fractured jaw and on Nov. 1, 2019, was diagnosed and treated at Barnes Hospital for surgical repair of a compound fracture of her jaw, the suit says. Williams has allegedly had to undergo multiple surgeries since then and extensive medical treatment.
Williams is represented by Ben Sansone.
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri case number 4:21-cv-01049-MTS