Jane Johannes has taken legal action against the Government of the Virgin Islands, claiming that Schneider Regional Medical Center gave her a medication that worsened her health despite her family's explicit warning about her kidney condition.
The complaint, filed in V.I. Superior Court this week, centres on events in late November 2025. Ms. Johannes went to the hospital two days after a fall and was found to have a urinary tract infection. Dr. Kyle Ohman prescribed Bactrim DS, a combination antibiotic used for bacterial infections.
Before the prescription was written, Ms. Johannes' daughter made clear to hospital staff that her mother had kidney disease and that "any medication prescribed must be appropriate for compromised renal function." Despite hearing this caution, Dr. Ohman told both Ms. Johannes and her daughter that Bactrim DS would be safe, the lawsuit states.
Within weeks of starting the medication, Ms. Johannes' health took a sharp turn. She began showing "alarming behavioral and cognitive changes including agitation, combativeness and severe disorientation which were symptoms she never previously exhibited," according to the complaint. Rashes and boils also appeared on her skin, which she links to a bad reaction to the drug.
About a month after filling the prescription, Ms. Johannes travelled to Miami for a medical evaluation, a journey made harder by her worsening state. Once there, she fell several times in her hotel room because of confusion, weakness and an inability to stand without help, sustaining further harm.
A cardiologist in Miami found that her kidneys were severely damaged. The doctor ordered her to stop Bactrim right away and receive treatment to flush it from her body, then gave her a different antibiotic suited to her condition.
Ms. Johannes argues that the hospital and its staff were negligent in ignoring her kidney disease when choosing what to prescribe. She is seeking money for medical bills, travel costs, and what she describes as humiliation, embarrassment, loss of independence and a reduced quality of life.
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