Winfield man says podiatrist's treatment disabled him

WINFIELD – A Winfield man claims a local podiatrist for permanently disabling him.

Joseph D. Cox filed his lawsuit against Dr. Scott Feathers on May 29 in Putnam Circuit Court. Also listed as plaintiffs are Dina Cox, his wife, and their two sons Jake and Justin.

On May 6, 2006, Cox visited Feathers' office in Hurricane because of pain in his right foot. He says he had three previous injections to that foot with little relief.

Over the next month, Feathers provided a series of six steroid injections for treatment of plantar fasciitis and myositis. He also gave six ethanol injections as treatment for calcaneal neuritis.

Cox said he had some relief from the injections, so Feathers performed an intra-office removal of a calcaneal spur from the right foot.

After the operation, Cox still had pain in his foot despite using orthotics. He left Feathers' care.

Cox later had a diagnosis of degradation and necrosis of the plantar fascia. Because of that, he says he has sustained a permanent disability resulting in "a total inability to work for several months at this time of this pleading."

He said he continues to be unable to enjoy activities such as hunting, sports, playing with his children. He also says he has restricted activities as to maintaining his home, and he said he has reached the maximum degree of medical improvement.

Cox says Feathers is guilty of medical negligence because he administered an excessive number of steroid injections in one month, administered an ethanol injection for treatment of a medial calcaneal nerve inflammation and performed an intra-office calcaneal spur removal as treatment for heel pain when the spur was not the origin of Cox's pain.

"The ethanol injection is not a recognized treatment for a medial calcaneal nerve inflammation and resulted in permanent nerve damage," the complaint states.

Cox claims he suffered great physical, emotional and pecuniary damages. His wife and sons claim loss of consortium.

Cox seeks compensatory damages for past, present and future economic damages, pain and suffering, mental anguish as well as aggravation and annoyance. He also seeks interests, court costs and other relief.

Dan R. Fields is representing Cox, and the case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Ed Eagloski.

Putnam Circuit Court case number: 08-C-173