CHICAGO – A patient alleges a Barrington hospital's negligence resulted in her being paralyzed from the waist down.
Marilyn Gracyalny filed a complaint on Jan. 2 in Cook County Circuit Court against Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, alleging negligence.
According to the complaint, on Dec. 22, 2011, Gracyalny was taken to the defendant's emergency room after falling at home and experiencing leg weakness. The suit states she was then admitted to defendant's hospital. The suit states by Dec. 23, 2011, she was unable to move her lower extremities and an MRI was ordered.
The suit states a neurosurgeon reviewed the MRI and evaluated the plaintiff, and diagnosed her with a compression fracture and a possible spinal infection. The suit states a procedure was performed the same day but she has had no improvement in her motor function. She alleges she remains paralyzed from the waist down.
The plaintiff alleges the defendant failed to provide or report urgent diagnostic testing results to the ordering physician in a timely manner and failed to have a system, policies or procedures in place requiring communication by nursing personnel of significant MRI results.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs of suit. She is represented by Mark R. McKenna of Hurley McKenna & Mertz PC in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 19-L-000044