Paralyzed Man Sues Kaiser for $10 Million

3-12-2013 16:20:00

PORTLAND, Ore. (CN) - A man was paralyzed after a Kaiser doctor botched a surgical procedure, then delayed corrective surgery, he claims in a complaint filed in Circuit Court for the State of Oregon, Multnomah County.

Steven Colcord was a patient at Kaiser Sunnyside where he underwent a cervical fusion performed by Dr. Charles Joseph Wrobel on Oct. 24, 2011. Following the surgery, however, a subluxation and telescoping of the fusion plate occurred, requiring a second surgery, performed Jan. 12, 2012. The surgery was performed to stabilize Colcord’s neck, including a C6-7 decompression with C3 and C6 fusion. Colcord was discharged on Jan. 14, but returned to the emergency department Jan. 15 with complaints of right lower extremity numbness and urinary retention.

Aside from a host of other problems, Dr. Wrobel also discovered that, “the post-operative CT revealed possible seroma or blood, and rather than perform the surgery, emergently recommended wound exploration,” the complaint states.

He then turned Colcord’s medical care over to Dr. Jason Weinstein who “performed a complete laminectomy at C3 and C7, as well as revision of the C6-7 arthrodesis and washout after which it was determined that Mr. Colcord suffered permanent neurological compromise as the result of the negligence and delayed decompression,” the complaint states.

Colcord sustained permanent injuries including spinal cord injury, numbness, parashesia, quadraparesis, fecal incontinence and sphincter dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, myelopathy, urinary retention and right side numbness.

Colcord says he has, and will continue to, suffer economic damages for past and future medical care, lost wages and expenses for home medical services, on top of a laundry list of other damages.

He is suing for medical negligence and loss of consortium, for a total of $10 million.

John M. Coletti, of Paulson Coletti in Portland, represents Colcord.