 "Photo: Courtesy photo")
lawsuit filed by the late Dr. Steven Jones, former Amarillo College president, against a local medical practice is ongoing, but one of the physicians named in the suit has been dropped as a defendant.
According to a story reported in the Amarillo Globe-News, Jones accused Amarillo Urology Associates and specifically Dr. Virgil Pate III and Dr. David Wilhelm of medical malpractice.
Jones previously had been diagnosed with cancer in his kidney and underwent surgery in January 2007. After being told the procedure was successful, it was revealed that the cancer had spread to his abdomen.
Dan Dowdy, chief operating officer of Amarillo Urology Associates, declined to comment on the specifics of the case.
However, Dowdy said that one of the original defendants, Pate, has been removed as a defendant in the suit at the request of the plaintiff.
Dowdy declined to give the reason.
Regarding the status of the lawsuit, Dowdy said it remains in the discovery stage.
"The plaintiffs have terminated their original attorneys and have hired a different group," he said.
"That has delayed the proceedings somewhat."
Randall Sorrels, an attorney with the Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend law firm of Houston, confirmed that the suit is in discovery stage. He also verified that Pate has been dropped as a defendant.
Sorrels said he is handling a trial for another client in a separate case and was not able to discuss any other details of Jones's lawsuit.
The Jones family recently changed lawyers to represent them in the suit, according to Sorrels. The change to the Abraham & Watkins firm was done at the recommendation of their former attorney, Michelle Quattlebaum of the Helms and Green law firm of Houston.
According to the firm's Web site, www.abrahamwatkins.com, Abraham & Watkins specializes in personal injury and wrongful death cases.
"The old lawyer is a personal friend of Jones," Sorrels said.
"Quattlebaum recommended Abraham because we can be more objective."
A call to Quattlebaum was not returned by press time.
According to the Globe-News story, after Jones underwent laparoscopic surgery to remove the cancer from his kidney, he was hospitalized for what he thought was a sinus infection, but further tests confirmed the spread of cancer.
The Globe-News story cited court documents stating that the "defendants were negligent in the care and treatment of Dr. Jones."
"They breached the standard of care by failing, among other things, to ... remove the cancer cells in a manner that would not ... contaminate the surgical field," the suit reads.
The suit further claims the doctors acted with gross negligence and malice and they failed to provide proper follow-up visits that might have disclosed Jones's condition.
Jones died in February.
Dr. Paul Matney assumed most of Jones's duties as acting president in May 2008.
This July, the board of regents unanimously voted to confirm Matney as permanent president.
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