A Chicago OB-GYN doctor and his former workplace are at the center of multiple lawsuits that accuse him of being intoxicated while working with patients. The doctor is also accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with at least one patient. At least five of the lawsuits have been filed in Cook County Circuit Court.

Dr. Vernon Cannon worked as an obstetrician-gynecologist at the Chicago area Duly Health and Care facility, formerly known as the DuPage Medical Group. As of 2020, the doctor has since left his position with the facility. According to several women who have come forward, Dr. Cannon appeared intoxicated when they came in for their routine prenatal care appointments.

One patient, Karin Stortz, saw Dr. Cannon in 2019 and reported a bizarre experience in which the doctor saw her very briefly for roughly five minutes. Stortz shared with CBS News that the doctor had “Dilated pupils, slurred speech, wasn't even really making good eye contact with me," adding, "It didn't seem like I was even really there."

Stortz went on to explain, "I kind of minimized it. I told myself, 'Hey, you know what? You're hormonal. You're just pregnant. You have anxiety. Don't worry about it. Just let it go. But the truth is my gut was right, and what I observed was correct, and so I'm just encouraging that if anybody else had that experience, to come forward."

Attorneys representing the woman say that the facility should have picked up on the doctor's misconduct sooner. The attorneys point to several Patient Care Complaints that indicated bizarre behavior on the part of the doctor. One of the complaints read that it was “ Difficult to understand” Dr. Cannon and that he “seemed to be slurring when talking to me.”

Another complaint read, "I hope he is not on call when I have my baby. I would not feel good about it at all.”

During the course of investigating the doctor, it was revealed that in 2016, Dr. Cannon was arrested and charged with domestic battery. The doctor was also found to be intoxicated during his arrest according to records.

One of the lawsuits also accuses the doctor of “bizarre behavior” after a stillbirth while another accuser says the doctor sexually assaulted her during a 2018 appointment.

Another attorney, Evan Smola of Hurley, McKenna & Mertz, shared that "In light of these three complaints and that arrest, it's our belief that there is no circumstance in which Dr. Cannon should have been practicing medicine in the DuPage Medical Group in 2018 and 2019 and beyond."

In addition to the complaints of the doctor being intoxicated while administering care to patients, one lawsuit accuses the doctor of an inappropriate and unethical sexual relationship that took place outside the medical setting in exchange for money.

Following the emergence of the allegations, the doctor has not shared a public response. However, the facility where Dr. Cannon worked did issue a statement regarding the allegations. The statement averred in part, “Patient care and safety are our top priorities. We take any and all allegations of misconduct seriously. Due to the nature of these matters and out of respect for the parties involved, we will not comment further on these legal proceedings.”