Jury awards nearly $17 million after tool left in surgery patient
By Nick Catlin
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ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — A jury in Bernalillo County awarded nearly $17 million to a woman who had several complications after she had surgery in late 2019.
The decision comes after a doctor left a 14-inch surgical tool in her abdomen, according to court documents. It shows she was carrying the tool for 58 days before getting it reexamined.
Court records also show she went to get a pelvic mass checked out at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque. This surgery was led by Dr. Karen Finkelstein. After surgery, the patient reported being in pain, nauseous, anxiety, and being unable to sleep.
Finkelstein also performed the operation to remove the tool. Presbyterian Hospital said Finkelstein is an independent provider and not an employed physician.
The jury deemed both Presbyterian and Southwest Women’s Oncology negligent. This led to the victim being awarded a total of $16.75 million.
The woman was awarded $15 million in punitive damages and another $1.75 million in compensatory damages.
Presbyterian offered KOAT a statement following the multi-million dollar ruling.
“We acknowledge the verdict in this case and deeply regret the impact of this error to the patient. Presbyterian is committed to providing safe, high-quality care to our communities. We’ve implemented additional training and practices to prevent isolated incidents like this from occurring again.”
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