After surgical error, woman seeks damages of $15 million

A woman who was seriously injured two years ago as a result of a surgery gone awry recently filed a medical malpractice suit against the hospital at which the surgeons who performed her operation were employed. Via the suit, she is seeking damages of $15 million for the surgical error. When Maryland residents suffer similar negligence, they are typically entitled to file medical malpractice suits against the party believed to be responsible.

The surgery caused the woman’s paralysis, severely affected her ability to speak, and other injuries. Two years ago, she was employed full-time as a cook in a medical center and developed hearing problems. Doctors discovered two meningiomas — benign tumors, one previously diagnosed, one new — according to the claim. The doctors believed that the newer tumor was responsible for the woman’s hearing loss, but they instead chose to recommend that they remove the one previously discovered.

The woman went ahead with this surgery on March 12, 2014, but the suit claims it was performed without proper consent. While undergoing surgery, the doctors accidentally severed her middle cerebral artery — one of three arteries responsible for supplying oxygen to the brain — causing a stroke that paralyzed the victim on her right side. Although before the operation she did not have a single issue with speaking, her vision, motor skills or body movements, afterwards, she was paralyzed on her right side, unable to speak, swallow or control any of her bowel or bladder functions.

When Maryland individuals believe they have been victims of a surgical error, they may incur extensive hospital bills, physical therapy that lasts months or years, as well as lost pay. Other setbacks to their health and well-being are all-too-common for these victims, as well, and can be extremely damaging to a person’s psyche. When individuals suffer medical malpractice, they typically choose to consult experienced attorneys to establish the validity of their claims.

Source: thegazette.com, “Linn County woman files $15 million medical malpractice claim against UIHC“, Trish Mehaffey, March 15, 2016