Alzheimer Misdiagnosis Lawsuits Filed By More Than 50 People Against Toledo Clinic

Dozens of individuals misdiagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at one medical clinic are now pursuing lawsuits, alleging that they suffered devastating psychological damage as a result of the error. 

The complaints were filed on behalf of about 50 people in Lucas County Common Pleas Court in Ohio on January 30, indicating that the Toledo Clinic Cognitive Center incorrectly told many patients that they were suffering from the progressive memory-loss ailment, and that the clinic did not even have the necessary licensing or authority to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease.

Many of the wrongly diagnosed patients had suffered traumatic brain injuries, and at least one patient allegedly committed suicide following his Alzheimer misdiagnosis, according to a report by the Sentinel-Tribune.

Toledo Clinic Cognitive Center was opened by Sherry-Ann Jenkins in 2015, and closed down early the following year. The lawsuits also name the Toledo Clinic, which housed the center, for not properly vetting Jenkins, who allegedly had a doctorate degree in physiological science, but was not licensed to order medical tests.

Jenkins reportedly used “holistic” treatments that included things like prescriptions for coconut oil, and reports suggest that Alzheimer’s diagnosis and treatments were alarmingly common among individuals seeking consultation following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can result from a blow to the head, a jolt or a mere bump on the head, many times leading to a concussion. These types of injuries are classified as head injuries that result in a disruption of the normal function of the brain.

Not all head injuries result in this disruption and are classified as traumatic brain injuries. A mild brain trauma causes a brief change in the disruption of the normal functioning of the brain, while a severe case will disrupt the functioning of the brain for long periods of time.

According to a prior study presented in July 2011 at the Alzheimer’s Association international conference, researchers indicated that individuals who suffered at least one traumatic brain injury had a 15% chance of developing dementia, compared to a 7% risk among those who had not suffered any brain trauma.

In a similar study announced at the same conference, a study of 4,000 retired National Football League (NFL) players revealed that 35% over the age of 50 had developed cognitive problems that could be considered significant.