ST. THOMAS — An elderly woman nearing 100 years old has sued the Government of the Virgin Islands for medical malpractice, alleging that a physician at the Schneider Regional Medical Center prescribed an antibiotic despite being warned about her kidney disease, causing severe confusion, skin eruptions and worsening health that eventually forced her to seek medical treatment in Miami.
Jane Johannes filed the civil complaint in V.I. Superior Court this week, claiming that hospital personnel failed to account for her medical history when prescribing Bactrim DS, a combination antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections.
According to the lawsuit, Ms. Johannes visited the hospital in late November 2025, two days after suffering a fall. During the emergency room visit, she was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and prescribed Bactrim DS by Dr. Kyle Ohman.
Ms. Johannes' daughter, who accompanied her to the hospital, reportedly informed medical personnel that her mother suffered from kidney disease and specifically cautioned that any medication prescribed “must be appropriate for compromised renal function.”
Despite that warning, Dr. Ohman allegedly assured Ms. Johannes and her daughter that Bactrim DS was safe for her to take. The prescription was subsequently filled, and Ms. Johannes began taking the medication according to the pharmacy's instructions.
The lawsuit claims that her condition deteriorated shortly afterward.
According to the complaint, Ms. Johannes “began exhibiting alarming behavioral and cognitive changes including agitation, combativeness and severe disorientation which were symptoms she never previously exhibited.”
The lawsuit also alleges that she developed rashes and boils on her skin, which she attributes to an adverse reaction to the antibiotic.
Approximately one month after receiving the prescription, Ms. Johannes traveled to Miami for further medical evaluation. The complaint describes the journey as particularly difficult because of her deteriorating condition, which it attributes to the medication.
After arriving in Miami and checking into a hotel with her daughter, Ms. Johannes reportedly suffered several falls because of her confusion, weakness and inability to stand independently. The falls caused additional injuries, according to the lawsuit.
The following day, Ms. Johannes visited a cardiologist who reportedly determined that her kidney function was critically compromised. According to the complaint, the physician instructed her to discontinue Bactrim immediately and undergo treatment to clear the medication from her system.
The cardiologist also prescribed a different antibiotic that the lawsuit says was more appropriate for her existing medical condition.
Ms. Johannes contends that Schneider Hospital personnel failed to exercise appropriate care when prescribing medication despite being informed of her kidney disease. The complaint accuses the hospital and its staff of negligence and medical malpractice.
Through the lawsuit, Ms. Johannes is seeking damages for the injuries she attributes to the antibiotic, including the expenses associated with her medical treatment and subsequent travel, as well as the humiliation, embarrassment, loss of independence and diminished quality of life she says resulted from the alleged malpractice.
