WHEELING – A woman is suing a physician she claims is responsible for her mother's death.
On Aug. 11, 2006, Dr. Thomas Ream established a physician-patient relationship with Karen Lough, according to a complaint filed Feb. 23 in Ohio Circuit Court.
Lough's daughter, Jennifer Martin, claims the physician-patient relationship lasted on a continuous basis until Lough's death on Aug. 11, 2013.
Martin claims Ream prescribed a multitude of medications to Lough, including Morphine, oxycodone, hydroxyzine, doxepin and trazodone.
Ream deviated from the standard of care and was negligent with respect to his care and treatment of Lough by prescribing medications to her that were unreasonably high in amount and were written over an unreasonably long duration, according to the suit.
Martin claims Ream also failed to appropriately understand Lough's condition and stratify her risk of experiencing complications from her medication protocol and failed to develop an appropriate treatment plan for her.
Ream also failed to appropriately monitor Lough and failed to appropriately adapt Lough's treatment plan to her individual needs, according to the suit.
Martin claims her mother died of combined medication intoxication on Aug. 11, 2013, because of the defendant's conduct.
As a direct and proximate result of the defendants' conduct, Lough died and her beneficiaries suffered mental and emotional anguish and distress due to her premature death, according to the suit.
Martin is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. She is being represented by Geoffrey C. Brown of Bordas & Bordas PLLC.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Martin J. Gaughan.
Ohio Circuit Court case number: 15-C-55