A patient is suing a prominent Texas medical center for alleged negligence that led to severe post-surgical complications. Debra Rougeau filed a complaint against Memorial Hermann Health System, doing business as Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, in the District Court of Harris County on July 25, 2024.
According to the court documents, Rougeau was a post-operative patient at Memorial Hermann Hospital in March 2023. After undergoing a femoral-popliteal bypass and thrombectomy on March 23, she was transferred back to a regular floor on March 27. Her surgical wounds were described by nurses as "clean" and "open to air." However, Rougeau's condition deteriorated when she experienced episodes of diarrhea and incontinence on March 31 and April 1. The lawsuit alleges that the nursing staff failed to properly clean her wounds or notify her physicians about these symptoms, leading to contamination with feces and subsequent infection.
The infection progressed into sepsis, characterized by high white blood cell counts and fevers. As a result, Rougeau required additional medical interventions including incision and drainage procedures, three weeks of antibiotics, and the use of a wound vacuum. "As a direct result of the acts and omissions of Defendant," the complaint states, "Plaintiff Debra Rougeau suffered pain, disability, and disfigurement."
Rougeau's legal team argues that Memorial Hermann Hospital breached its duty of care in several ways. The hospital is accused of failing to train its nursing staff adequately on notifying physicians immediately about patients' critical symptoms like diarrhea and incontinence when they have open surgical wounds. Additionally, the hospital allegedly failed to educate its staff on basic infection prevention measures. These failures constitute both direct hospital liability and vicarious liability under the doctrine of respondeat superior for the negligent actions of its employees.
The plaintiff seeks various forms of relief from the court including actual damages for past and future medical expenses, physical pain, mental anguish, physical impairment, emotional distress, loss of household services, loss of consortium, costs of suit, prejudgment interest at the highest rate allowed by law, and interest on the judgment from the date it is rendered until collected.
The case is being handled by attorneys Linda Laurent Thomas and Michelle W. Wan from Thomas & Wan LLP.
The Case ID is: 2024-46779.