Our client, an 82-year-old retired but active female, sustained a complication in connection with the implantation of a neurostimulator. Pre-implantation, the client had experienced a long history of lumbar pain which was refractory to physical therapy, trigger point injections and medication. After undergoing a neurostimulator trial which substantially reduced her pain, client elected to undergo surgery for permanent implantation. The defendant surgeon ordered a blood thinner, Lovenox, post-surgery. Ten hours after Lovenox was administered to the client, she lost motor function in both legs. The client also lost urinary control. The pharmaceutical company that manufactures Lovenox warns that Lovenox must be used with “extreme caution” on patients who have had a history of spinal surgery as there exists risk of spinal hematoma and paralysis. An exploratory surgery performed approximately two hours following the onset of our client’s lower extremity paralysis failed to yield an explanation. A second exploratory surgery performed about twenty-four hours after the onset of paralysis led to the discovery of a hematoma in the client’s thoracic spine. Unfortunately, evacuation of the hematoma did not restore function.
The terms of the settlement are confidential.
The legal team at Dempsey Kingsland Osteen works to ensure that the injured are fully compensated for their lasting injuries from medical malpractice or other negligence. We push for comprehensive damages that anticipate the long-term needs of our clients, rather than taking a quick settlement out of convenience.
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