A woman has received a significant £12 million settlement after surgeons mistakenly removed her bladder in what her attorneys described as “one of the most severe surgical mistakes imaginable.”
Emily Mitchell, aged 41, was granted $17 million (£12.79 million) by Kennebec County Superior Court following the removal of her vital organ at Northern Light Inland Hospital in Waterville, Maine, USA. Initially admitted for the removal of an ovarian cyst in March 2023, her condition worsened, leading to her transfer to Maine Medical Centre.
During the transfer, medical professionals discovered the inadvertent removal of Ms. Mitchell’s bladder, necessitating multiple corrective surgeries over several months. According to her legal representatives at Berman & Simmons, the surgery had been scheduled after imaging revealed an enlarged benign ovarian cyst.
The attorneys stated that during the operation, instead of excising the cyst, the surgeons mistakenly removed “full-thickness bladder tissue.” The excessive tissue removal made it impossible to reconstruct or repair the organ, leading to severe complications.
Following the incident, Ms. Mitchell had to rely on bilateral nephrostomy tubes for eight months. These tubes, inserted through her lower back into both kidneys, redirected urine into external bags, causing recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and kidney infections. Subsequently, she underwent various medical procedures, eventually necessitating the placement of a neo bladder made from a section of her small intestine in Massachusetts.
Years after the bladder removal mishap, Ms. Mitchell continues to endure lasting consequences from the injuries, including the daily need for catheterization to drain her neobladder and ongoing specialized medical care. The legal battle against Northern Light Inland Hospital and Northern Light Health concluded with a successful outcome for Ms. Mitchell and her husband, Joshua, who received compensation for her care and companionship loss.
The substantial settlement, reportedly the largest in Kennebec County’s history, comprises nearly $2 million (£1.5 million) for past and future medical expenses, $6 million (£4.5 million) for pain and suffering, and $8 million (£6.01 million) for permanent injury. Attorney Susan A Faunce expressed that the payout marked a significant victory for Ms. Mitchell, providing the closure she had sought for a prolonged period.
Faunce emphasized that the legal triumph was more than just a verdict, offering a path for the couple to move forward with acknowledgment and closure. While the pain and losses endured cannot be erased, the verdict acknowledges the truth of their experiences and delivers overdue accountability.
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