Home / Health / Patient Injured by Medication Mix-Up Seeks $150M
Patient Injured by Medication Mix-Up Seeks $150M
12 Nov
Summary
- Woman alleges permanent spinal cord injury from wrong drug injection.
- Four patients received potassium phosphate instead of anesthetic.
- Lawsuit claims staff continued using syringes after pain reports.
A Nashville woman, Linda Gilbert, has filed a $150 million lawsuit against Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown hospital, alleging a severe medication error during knee replacement surgery on August 14.
Gilbert, 78 at the time, claims that hospital staff mistakenly injected potassium phosphate into her spinal canal instead of the anesthetic mepivacaine. This alleged error has resulted in an alleged permanent spinal cord injury, leading to incomplete paraplegia, significant leg weakness, and the inability to walk, drive, or live independently.
The incident impacted four surgery patients in total. Gilbert's lawsuit, filed on November 6, contends that staff ignored prior pain reports from two other patients, suggesting ongoing medication preparation and verification failures, along with treatment delays.
As of the lawsuit's filing, Gilbert remained in inpatient rehabilitation at a spinal cord injury center in Atlanta. Potassium phosphate is typically administered intravenously for low phosphorus levels and carries warnings about potential serious adverse effects if given incorrectly.
Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown acknowledged the complaint and is cooperating with the legal process. The hospital issued statements expressing sympathy for the affected patients and families, and detailed its commitment to patient safety enhancements with an independent quality consultant.
