Spine Surgeon Found Negligent On Many Levels

Litigation Type - Surgical Complications

Client Injury - Injury to Nerves and Dura

Our client was a young woman who suffered severe pain and lost her ability to play competitive soccer as a result of negligent spine surgery.   The defendant orthopedic surgeon used 14 pedicle screws at multiple levels of the spine as part of the attempt to fuse the spine to correct our client's scoliosis.  For the next two years, the client suffered chest wall pain and positional headaches until another orthopedic surgeon ordered imaging of the spine by CT scan.  The CT imaging revealed that 12 of the 14 screws were misplaced, making it necessary for our client to undergo another spine surgery to remove all of the screws and replace them in proper positions.  During this revision surgery it was discovered that the misplaced screws had not only been causing chest wall pain, but also injured the dura to the extent that spinal fluid was leaking which was the explanation for the headaches.  In addition, the defendant failed to remove spinal facets which resulted in failure of the fusion at 2 levels.

Shannon Carey and James Carey represented the young woman and obtained a confidential settlement for her injury claim.


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James P. Carey

“I’m pleased to lead this firm and to provide Minnesotans with the legal help they need when they need it most.”


Phone: 612-333-9750
Cell: 612-860-4929

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