A man who underwent spinal surgery was left completely paralyzed due to doctors’ clumsiness.
James Spangler, 54, was told the operation would relieve burning pain in his neck and tingling in his extremities caused by a condition called spinal stenosis.
But when he woke up after the three-hour surgery at Pennsylvania’s WellSpan York Hospital, the father of three found he couldn’t move anything except his toes.
Scans later revealed that doctors had mistakenly inserted screws into his spinal cord, which controls body movements.
He has now received $24 million in compensation after being forced to quit his job as a Harley Davidson mechanic, which he had held for 26 years, and needing his wife Wendy to care for him 24/7. week.
James Spangler, 58, pictured after botched surgery that left him unable to move anything except his toes.
The family’s lawyer, Iddo Harel, of Ross Feller-CaseyHe told DailyMail.com: ‘He went from being a mechanic the day before to being a quadriplegic the next day.
‘Mr Spangler is the kind of man who has worked very, very hard all his life in manual professions and has never taken anything from anyone.
‘But now he needs his wife Wendy’s help to do everything, and even simple tasks like going to the bathroom.
“You can’t get up and walk to another room; now you can brush your teeth but you can’t put toothpaste on the brush. This is not just physical torture, it’s also emotional torture.”
He added: ‘Their lives have been very difficult for the last five years, and what his wife has done for him I can’t promise you that my wife or all the wives would do the same. She has been taking care of him 24/7.
Spangler suffered from a common condition called cervical spinal stenosis, in which the inside of the neck vertebrae tightens and compresses the spinal cord, causing pain.
About 12 million people in the United States suffer from this condition, which is treated through a procedure that involves opening the neck and vertebrae to relieve pressure.
Doctors also screw a metal plate into the vertebrae during this procedure to protect the open area.
Spangler, now 58, had been suffering pain, which felt like a “burning” sensation, on and off for three months before going to see doctors in late 2019.
He was diagnosed with his condition in September and was booked in for surgery the following month.
His wife Wendy, pictured above with him, has been his “rock” and has supported him day and night for five years after surgery.
He repeatedly expressed concern to doctors after waking up from surgery, but it took another 10 hours to do an MRI and then another 12 to return to the operating room.
He has gone through years of therapy since then and has now successfully regained the ability to slightly move his right hand and walk up to a block.
But he still needs constant help with day-to-day activities, such as eating, going to the bathroom, cutting vegetables, and brushing his teeth.
The family filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the hospital and its neurosurgeon, Dr. Joseph Krzeminski, who has since retired, in April 2021.
Their case was heard during an eight-day trial over the past two weeks, after which it took the jury just one hour to unanimously find that the hospital and surgeon were negligent.
The family has received $23.87 million, which will go toward paying for around-the-clock care for Mr. Spangler.
Harel said: ‘This case underlines the serious responsibility that healthcare providers have to their patients.
‘James Spangler trusted his neurosurgeon, and that trust was tragically violated in the operating room.
Spangler was described as a man who had worked hard all his life and never asked anyone for anything. He appears above in a family photograph.
“The jury’s swift and unanimous decision reflects the profound impact this negligence has had on Mr. Spangler and his family, and the need for accountability in our healthcare system.”
A WellSpan spokesperson said in a statement: “We are disappointed with the verdict given the evidence presented.
‘Appeal options are being reviewed. “Wellspan Health remains fully committed to providing safe, high-quality care to all of our patients.”
Although an appeal has been suggested, it is expected to be unlikely to take place because during the trial Dr. Krzeminski said he would not wish what happened to Mr. Spangler or his worst enemy.
The family cried in court when the verdict was read and thanked their legal team for their help. One of his sons attended the case, even though his parents asked him not to.