Dr. William Martin is the physician listed as a defendant.
On Nov. 28, 2014, Mark Reitz was self-admitted to the emergency room at Reynolds with complaints of acute onset lower back pain that radiated from his lower abdomen and flank and then progressed into his chest, according to a complaint filed in Marshall Circuit Court.
Sheryl Reitz claims Martin ordered an x-ray, but did not order an abdominal CT. He then discharged Mark Reitz with a diagnosis of constipation.
Mark Reitz returned to Reynolds approximately five hours later, with continued symptoms and was transferred via ambulance to Ohio Valley Medical Center, where he underwent emergency surgical treatment designed to address his ruptured abdominal aortic, among other attempted therapies.
Sheryl Reitz claims Mark Reitz died on Dec. 18, 2014, from complications of his ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Martin had a duty to Mark Reitz to treat him in conformance with the standard of care and Martin had a duty to exercise a degree of care, skill and learning required or expected of a reasonable, prudent physician acting in the same or similar circumstances, according to the suit.
Sheryl Reitz claims Martin was negligent and breached the standard of care by failing to order an abdominal CT in a timely fashion and failing to place and keep an abdominal aortic aneurysm on his differential diagnosis.
The defendants are responsible for Mark Reitz’s wrongful death, according to the suit.
Sheryl Reitz is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by Geoffrey C. Brown of Bordas & Bordas.
Marshall Circuit Court case number: 16-C-216