The daughters of a Monroe County woman are suing Pocono Medical Center, Lehigh Valley Health Network, a doctor and others because, the suit says, they failed on Sept. 5, 2015, to diagnose the sepsis that killed her.

Janice E. Gombert, then 68, of Effort, died on Sept. 14, 2015.On Aug. 23, lawyers Michelle M. Quinn and Kevin C. Quinn of Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn, Luzerne County, filed the 277-page suit in Monroe County court on behalf of Gombert's daughters, Pamela Hendleman of Drums and Holly Hagenbuch of Effort.It names the hospital; Dr. John R. Schleicher Jr.; Team Health Inc.; Emergency Physician Associates Inc.; Emergency Physician Associates Pennsylvania, PC; Emergency Physician Associates LLC; Pocono Health System; Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono, and Lehigh Valley Health Network Inc.Pocono Health System officially became part of Lehigh Valley Health Network on Jan. 1, 2017.The suit, which alleges medical malpractice, asks a jury trial and unspecified amount of punitive damages.Efforts to reach Danielle Jordan, Pocono Medical Center's director of marketing and public affairs, were unsuccessful.The suit lists five counts: Wrongful death; survival action; negligent infliction of emotional distress, one count for each daughter; and punitive damages.It contends the hospitals, affiliates and doctor acted with a "reckless indifference and/or reckless disregard" to the rights of Gombert and her daughters; a "conscious indifference to the consequences of their actions," a "reckless disregard to the health, safety and welfare" of Gombert and her daughters; and that their actions resulted in "outrageous, wanton, reckless, and consciously indifferent conduct and an unreasonable risk of death/bodily harm."According to the suit, Gombert, a retired certified nurse assistant and health unit coordinator, became ill just after lunch on Sept. 5, 2015.By 4:30 p.m. that day, she felt so sick she went to the emergency department at Pocono Medical Center.She was tended to by a nurse, and at about 5 p.m. Schleicher noted that she suddenly developed a fever, chills and vomiting shortly after eating lunch.Her symptoms were severe, and were relieved by nothing, he noted.He ordered various tests, thinking she might be suffering from the flu, a virus, or a urinary tract infection.As the day wore on, Gombert became sicker. Schleicher, the suit says, decided she had a urinary tract infection, and at about 9:45 p.m. sent her home with medications.He incorrectly noted her condition as "stable," the suit says.At 4:51 a.m. the next morning, blood test results came in showing the presence of E. coli, and several hours later, the emergency department called her to return to the emergency room.She arrived at about 1:30 p.m. Her condition quickly deteriorated, and more tests were performed.At about 4:30 p.m. Sept. 6, 2015, Schleicher noted his final diagnosis was septic shock. By that time, Gombert's organs were failing and her condition was critical.She was put on life support. By Sept. 12, her kidneys had failed, and her fingers and toes were developing gangrene due to lack of circulation. She would open her eyes, but not follow commands.Her family agreed to remove life support, given her condition and prognosis.Gombert died of septic shock at 10:24 a.m. Sept. 14.