ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis County man has filed a multi-count lawsuit against Mercy Hospital St. Louis and a named employee, alleging that his confidential medical information was improperly disclosed and that the resulting consequences caused emotional distress, reputational harm and ultimately led to the breakdown of his marriage.
Justin Hammor, a military veteran, claims that in June 2023, an employee of Mercy Hospital improperly disclosed his protected health information to his wife without consent, According to a civil petition filed in the St. Louis County Circuit Court on May 6.
The alleged disclosure included statements that Hammor was “so drunk off of his ass” during his emergency room visit, despite lab results showing he had no alcohol in his system, the petition states.
The incident originated after Hammor returned from a union float trip near the Meramec River, during which he consumed alcohol.
A few days later, after developing symptoms similar to those of an illness, Hammor sought emergency medical treatment at Mercy Hospital.
During his visit, he was seen by an attending nurse, identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe, and a physician who reportedly engaged in a heated argument about Hammor’s care. The physician allegedly ordered Hammor to be admitted for an endoscopy, the petition states.
During Hammor’s stay, his wife called the hospital to inquire about his condition.
According to the lawsuit, the attending nurse responded by stating Hammor was heavily intoxicated, a claim which the suit asserts was false and defamatory.
Hammor later received confirmation from the hospital itself acknowledging that a “Mercy Coworker disclosed clinical information inappropriately,” according to a letter dated Sept. 25, 2023.
The inappropriate disclosure reportedly included Hammor’s full name, clinical information, dates of service and lab results, according to the petition.
The fallout from the disclosure was swift and damaging, according to Hammor.
His wife, believing he was an alcoholic, filed for a temporary restraining order and the accusation led to ongoing conflict and distrust in the marriage, ultimately culminating in a divorce in October 2024.
Hammor claims he incurred approximately $35,000 in attorney fees during the divorce proceedings, according to the petition.
The lawsuit levels six counts against Mercy Hospital and the unnamed nurse, including public disclosure of private facts, defamation, false light, breach of fiduciary duty, negligence and negligent hiring and supervision.
Each count reiterates that Hammor’s personal and medical information should have remained private and that its unauthorized disclosure caused tangible and intangible harm.
Hammor argues that his reputation in the community has been “severely tarnished,” and he continues to suffer from “medically diagnosable and medically significant emotional distress.”
He also claims the hospital violated HIPAA’s Privacy Rule, which protects individually identifiable health information, and that such violations constitute negligence per se.
The lawsuit further alleges that Mercy Hospital failed to adequately train and supervise its staff, leading to the improper disclosure.
Hammor asserts that the false portrayal of him as an alcoholic placed him in a false light and that both Mercy and the involved nurse acted either knowingly or with reckless disregard for the truth.
He maintains that the disclosure was not newsworthy and was highly offensive, both to him and to any reasonable person.
In each of the six counts, Hammor seeks a judgment in excess of $25,000, along with post-judgment interest, court costs, and attorney fees.
St. Louis Circuit Court case number: 25SL-CC04942