The emergency room physician recognized that the man was suffering an acute neurological emergency and ordered imaging. The imaging was delayed because the hospital staff had to determine if the spinal cord stimulator was compatible with MRI imaging…medicalmalpracticelawyers, $10M Oregon Medical Malpractice Verdict For Paralysis After Failure To Diagnose Spinal Infection.
Instead of contacting a representative of the spinal cord stimulator manufacturer, the hospital staff waited for the man’s out-of-state physician to authorize an MRI.
While the man waited in the emergency room for the MRI, the medical staff did not consult with an appropriate surgeon. He remained in the emergency room for seventeen hours during which his paralysis progressed. When the imaging was finally completed, the underlying condition was not diagnosed because the imaging focused on the wrong area of the man’s spine.
By the time surgery was finally performed more than 27 hours after he first arrived at the hospital, the spinal injury had become permanent.