ATLANTA (CN) – Excessive radiation for cancer damaged a man’s voicebox, leading to its ultimate removal, he claims in State Court of Fulton County, Georgia.

     James Cox sued Thomas W. Phillips, M.D., the Southeast Permanente Medical Group, Inc., Northside Radiation Oncology and Radiation Oncology of Atlanta, LLC for professional negligence. His wife Deanne Cox also sued for loss of consortium.

     James Cox was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, and was treated with Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) on Feb. 13, 2015, followed by high dose radiation treatment, according to the complaint.

     Radiation was applied to areas of Cox’s throat where there was no tumor, and in too high a dosage for those areas, Cox claims.

     “Because of the previous TORS in this area, and because the radiation was administered with concurrent chemotherapy, the risk of damage to this area was high and strict avoidance of excess radiation dose should have been observed,” the complaint states.

     On Sept. 8, 2015, a procedure on Cox’s voicebox revealed exposed bone and necrotic tissue, it says. He later began coughing up blood and a perforation was discovered, it says.

     “Over the next several months, multiple surgical procedures were performed to address the problems in Mr. Cox’s neck and larynx. In addition to other procedures, Mr. Cox’s voicebox was removed. Notation from a Sept. 24, 2015 procedure indicates ‘deep necrosis of underlying tissue due to burn,’” the complaint states.

     James and Deanne Cox seek damages for pain and suffering, her loss of consortium, costs and a jury trial. They are represented by M. Paul Reynolds of Houck Reynolds in Atlanta.