Double amputee accuses doctors of medical malpractice

For the thousands of patients in New York that undergo any kind of medical procedure, concerns over their safety and well-being are often valid. Medical complications can come into play at any point during a surgery, and the actions of medical personnel can also play a large role in the initial procedure and subsequent treatment results. One woman is in the midst of a medical malpractice lawsuit against physicians at one New York hospital, alleging that her mistreatment ultimately resulted in severe disability and pain.

The woman and mother identified as the victim in the medical malpractice lawsuit underwent surgery to remove an ectopic pregnancy in early October of 2009. She was discharged from the hospital three days later, even though she was allegedly in extreme discomfort. The woman was in so much pain, in fact, that she was ultimately readmitted to the hospital for emergency surgery. According to her malpractice suit, the woman claims that she awoke in the hospital’s ICU the following month to learn that both her legs had been amputated.

During the course of the woman’s laparoscopic surgery her colon was allegedly punctured. Consequently, the woman developed sepsis and gangrene, which ultimately resulted in both of her legs being removed. The woman’s attorneys claim that the severity of her medical complications were the consequences of slow and inadequate treatment. Furthermore, the woman suffered hearing loss from the antibiotic treatment she received and intense scarring to her chest, face and abdomen.

The mother of a teenage daughter argues that her ability to care for her child has been compromised and that she now has mobility issues as a result of using prosthetics. She also claims that she suffered from depression following the incident. The hospital involved in the case claims that medical teams saved the woman’s life.

Source: New York Daily News, “EXCLUSIVE: Hospital victim says procedure led to legs being amputated: ‘It was a sharp, driving pain. And it kept getting worse,’” Oren Yaniv, Dec. 4, 2013