SAN DIEGO (CN) – An abdominal probe turned into a rush to surgery due to the doctor’s inexpert handling of a Q-tip, the patient claims in his San Diego County Superior Court lawsuit.

Richard Evans sued Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Covenant Care La Jolla doing business as La Jolla Nursing & Rehab, and Steven La Fond M.D. for medical negligence.

Evans says that defendant doctor La Fond was probing his abdomen with a Q-tip when it broke. He had to be transferred from defendant La Jolla Nursing and Rehab to Palomar Medical Center to have the Q-tip surgically removed. 

According to the action, Dr. La Fond was “the agent, servant, employee and under the control of each of the remaining defendants.”

Evans seeks general and special damages for pain and suffering and, and for medical and related expenses, damages for past and future loss of earnings and earning capacity, interest and legal costs.

The plaintiff is represented by Philip J. Altieri of the Altieri Law Firm in San Diego, California.