Several girls are suing an obstetrician-gynecologist and the well being care system he labored for accusing him of getting an inappropriate relationship with a affected person and treating a number of others whereas intoxicated, CBS Chicago’s Charlie De Mar studies.
Dr. Vernon Cannon was an obstetrician-gynecologist on the DuPage Medical Group, now referred to as Duly Health and Care.
On Wednesday, attorneys with Chicago regulation agency Hurley McKenna & Mertz filed 5 misconduct lawsuits towards Cannon and Duly Health and Care.
Duly Health and Care
“Everyone wants to feel safe when they go to see their doctor,” mentioned former affected person Karin Stortz. “Especially as a woman, I can say that’s like the most vulnerable position that you’re in – especially when you’re bringing life into the world.”
Stortz says she noticed Dr. Cannon for what was purported to be a routine prenatal checkup in 2019 at what’s now Duly Health and Care in Wheaton.
“When I had met with him, the apportionment was brief – as in like five minutes. Dilated pupils, slurred speech, wasn’t even really making good eye contact with me,” Stortz mentioned. “It didn’t seem like I was even really there.”
Stortz mentioned her intestine response was that one thing was off – even when she doubted herself.
“I kind of minimized it. I told myself, ‘Hey, you know what? You’re hormonal. You’re just pregnant. You have anxiety. Don’t worry about it. Just let it go,'” she mentioned. “But the truth is my gut was right, and what I observed was correct, and so I’m just encouraging that if anybody else had that experience, to come forward.”
In addition to the 5 new complaints, Cannon was already going through two earlier lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault.
“It’s our belief a person who is intoxicated can’t actually practice medicine,” mentioned lawyer Michael Mertz, a associate within the agency Hurley McKenna & Mertz, P.C.
Patient care complaints about Dr. Cannon that had been submitted to the well being care system in 2019 ought to have been a pink flag, mentioned the attorneys behind the lawsuits.
One affected person wrote that Cannon was “difficult to understand” and “seemed to be slurring when talking to me.”
Another wrote: “I hope he is not on call when I have my baby. I would not feel good about it at all.”
In 2016, Dr. Cannon was arrested and charged with home battery whereas intoxicated.
“In light of these three complaints and that arrest, it’s our belief that there is no circumstance in which Dr. Cannon should have been practicing medicine in the DuPage Medical Group in 2018 and 2019 and beyond,” mentioned lawyer Evan Smola of Hurley, McKenna & Mertz, P.C.
At the guts of many of the lawsuits, Dr. Cannon is accused of being intoxicated whereas performing exams.
But one other affected person mentioned she had a sexual encounter with the physician – which, in keeping with the criticism, was not solely inappropriate, however unethical.
Another lawsuit accuses Cannon of weird conduct after affected person suffered a stillbirth.
Cannon didn’t reply to requests for remark.
Duly Health and Care mentioned Cannon hasn’t labored there since 2020.
“We are aware of new cases alleging misconduct by Dr. Vernon Cannon, a former DMG physician who has not been with the medical group since 2020. Patient care and safety are our top priorities. We take any and all allegations of misconduct seriously. Due to the nature of these matters and out of respect for the parties involved, we will not comment further on these legal proceedings,” an organization spokesperson mentioned in a press release.