Jury awards Iowa woman US$19.8 million for ‘botched’ Mayo Clinic surgery, attorneys say

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MINNESOTA (WCCO) -- A jury has awarded an Iowa woman a US$19.8 million verdict against Mayo Clinic and a colorectal surgeon in a lawsuit brought in Minnesota courts, according to her attorneys.

The Iowa-based Hixson & Brown Law Firm represented patient Linette Nelson, of Fort Dodge, Iowa. They alleged in a June 2018 procedure — the second in a series of three surgeries — Dr. Amy Lightner was supposed to move her entire rectum, but “botched a multi-stage operation” and “left 5-7 cm of diseased rectum inside her body.”

The suit alleged Lightner dismissed a CT scan that showed “a long rectal cuff” remained inside Nelson and “pushed ahead with the third surgery anyway,” according to attorneys.

A month later, Nelson was informed by Mayo that Lightner “is gone and we’re not sure if she’ll be back,” according to the law firm. The chief of colorectal surgery for Mayo, Dr. David Larson, then examined her and determined the surgeries needed to be redone, a process that took more than a year to complete.

The firm said the actions of Lightner, who now works in California, “left [Nelson] with permanent disfigurement, pelvic floor disorder, fibromyalgia, PTSD, and lifelong chronic pain.”

Court records show the verdict includes $3.7 million for pain and emotional distress, with another $12.1 million for her future emotional distress. The law firm said the monetary award for Nelson, a mother of two, “is expected to exceed $27 million” when adding in interest.

“The jury’s verdict speaks truth and justice: world-class reputations don’t excuse life-altering medical negligence,” said attorney LaMar Jost. “This verdict is a step toward accountability for a wife and mother who will suffer for the rest of her life because of medical negligence.”

A Mayo Clinic spokesperson gave this statement to WCCO on Wednesday morning: “Mayo Clinic respects the jury’s time and the judicial process but is disappointed in the verdict. The organization will evaluate next steps while remaining steadfast in its commitment to providing the highest standards of care and patient outcomes.”

U.S. News and World Report recently named Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, as one of the best hospitals in the country, and also named it best hospital for diabetes, endocrinology, gastroenterology and GI surgery.

By Stephen Swanson and Aki Nace, WCCO

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.