Here are five things to know:
1. The patient filing the lawsuit alleges that the surgeon dropped a surgical instrument on his back, damaging his spinal cord and leaving him paralyzed from the neck down.
2. The lawsuit claims the surgeon was “negligent in dropping the instrument,” according to the report.
3. The paralyzed man is seeking $2 million to cover his existing medical expenses as well as $10 million for future medical costs. He is seeking an additional $10 million for the pain and suffering he has been caused.
4. An OHSU spokesperson has declined to comment on the issue, as did the surgeon.
5. According to The Oregonian, the paralyzed man may not receive the $22 million he seeks. A ruling in May 2016 by the Oregon Supreme Court limited the amount of damages in another medical liability case against OHSU to $3 million, setting a precedent.
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