Continuance granted in med-mal claiming doctors delayed treatment

In January 2009, Ronald Lee Phillips Sr. filed suit against Memorial Hermann Baptist Beaumont Hospital and two of its doctors, alleging doctors delayed treatment and caused unnecessary complications.

Nearly two years later, on Dec. 7, 2010, Judge Bob Wortham, 58th District Court, granted Phillips' agreed motion for continuance, court records show.

Phillips filed the motion on Nov. 30, declaring he and Baptist had mediated the matter but needed more time to resolve issued involving third-party liens before settling.

The lawsuit states Phillips was admitted to Memorial Hermann on Oct. 29, 2006, after having a seizure at his home, and another seizure in the ambulance en route to the hospital.

Phillips' doctors, Dr. Darella Cooper and Dr. Jeffrey Klem, were informed of his symptoms late that night but delayed seeing him until morning.

"At some point shortly after admission, Defendant Klem was informed of Plaintiff Ronald Phillips' admittance and condition including his altered cardiac enzymes indicating a potential heart attack, however Dr. Klem failed to timely respond and delayed seeing Plaintiff for several hours until the next morning," the suit states.

Allegedly, his doctors also failed to consider his medical history when they ordered tests and tried to diagnose him, the suit claims.

In his suit, Phillips says that throughout his hospital stay he developed a Stage 3 decubitus ulcer and a staphylococcus aureus infection because of the hospital and its employees' failure to monitor, treat and care for him.

Phillips hopes tor recover damages for his physical pain, suffering, mental anguish, physical impairment, physical disfigurement and incurred medical expenses.

His wife, Fredericka Phillips also suffered mental anguish, loss of consortium and loss of services.

Fredericka Allen of Sugar Land represents them.

Baptist Hospital is represented by Beaumont attorney James Old Jr. of Germer Gertz.

Case No. A182-980