Linda Gilbert, a 78‑year‑old Nashville resident, filed a lawsuit this week against Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown after a catastrophic drug mix‑up during her scheduled knee replacement left her a paraplegic. The complaint accuses the hospital of “institutional negligence and recklessness” and “medical battery.”
Alleged pharmacy errors
According to the filing, Gilbert was the third of four patients that morning to receive potassium phosphate injected directly into the spine instead of a standard anesthetic. The patients immediately felt a burning pain in their legs, yet staff placed them under general anesthesia and proceeded with surgery.
After the operation, Gilbert’s condition continued to worsen. The lawsuit claims the hospital waited more than ten hours before administering a recognized treatment to flush the harmful fluid from her spinal cord.
Systemic failures cited
The complaint details multiple pharmacy shortcomings: look‑alike medication containers stored side‑by‑side, and staff overriding the drug‑tracking system when the wrong medication was scanned. State regulators identified these same issues in an August investigation.
Before the incident, Gilbert lived independently, drove herself, and helped a Nashville family with childcare and Alzheimer’s care. Now she requires intensive, lifelong care, including hospital stays, rehabilitation, nursing, attendant services, and home modifications.
Damages sought and legal context
The suit seeks $50 million in compensatory damages and $100 million in punitive damages. Tennessee law, passed in 2011, caps damages for paralysis at $750,000 to $1 million, a limit the plaintiffs argue is unconstitutional and unduly burdens severely injured, elderly plaintiffs.
Gilbert remains at a specialized spinal‑injury facility in Atlanta. Her attorney, Randy Kinnard, declined comment, emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations while avoiding public statements that could affect the case.
Hospital response
Ascension Saint Thomas issued a statement saying it is aware of the complaint and is cooperating with the legal process. The system expressed sympathy for the affected patients and families and noted that, as the matter is ongoing, further details cannot be shared at this time.
Original reporting: NewsChannel 5 WTVF (Scripps) – local — read the source article.
