News
Negligence Alleged Against Children’s Hospital, OU Medical College
By: Steve Robb - Athens Messenger staff reporter
Posted on:
The father of a young Athens-area boy has filed medical negligence claims against Nationwide Children's Hospital, the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and other defendants.
Danny Metts II, of Pleasant Valley Lane, Athens, filed lawsuits Friday in the Ohio Court of Claims and Franklin County Common Pleas Court on behalf of his son, Bradley. Each lawsuit seeks in excess of $25,000 and any other relief the courts deem "just and equitable."
Several community benefits have been held over the past few months on behalf of the Metts family because of the medical issues Bradley has faced, and there is a Facebook page titled "Prayers for Bradley Metts."
The lawsuit against the medical college, because it is a state entity, was filed in the Ohio Court of Claims. The lawsuit filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court names as defendants Children's Hospital, University Medical Associates, Dr. Ronald Grondin of Children's Hospital and Dr. Amy Zidron and Certified Nurse Practitioner Staci James, both of University Medical Associates, according to the lawsuit. University Medical Associates is a physicians practice made up of faculty members from the OU medical college.
Both lawsuits assert there was a failure to timely diagnose and properly treat Bradley's ear infection and/or failure to properly treat his subsequent mastoiditis, meningitis and cerebral edema.
The lawsuits state that Bradley has suffered severe and permanent injuries, and assert that those injuries are the result of negligence.
According to the lawsuits, Bradley has suffered significant medical complications, including mastoiditis, meningitis, cerebral adema, myocardial infarction, muscle atrophy and immobility, impaired cognition and incontinence.
"Said injuries require total care of all activities of daily living, including a tracheostomy for breathing and a jejunostomy for feeding," the lawsuits state. "Said injuries have caused him significant pain and suffering and mental anguish, and will continue to do so in the future due to the permanent nature of his injuries."
As part of the lawsuits, the Metts are required to file an "affidavit of merit" from a medical expert. They have asked both courts for a 90-day extension to do that, saying their attorney is not yet in possession of all the medical records to present to an expert for review.
The Messenger contacted the medical college for comment. Spokeswoman Karoline Lane said the college does not comment on pending litigation. That is the stance the university has taken on other lawsuits.