A Jacksonville grandmother is filing a malpractice suit against Naval Hospital Jacksonville for a surgical error committed in May of 2010. Days after the surgery, it was revealed that the doctor had stapled 72-year-old Christine Williams's aorta, causing her to lose the use of her legs.

Today, she cannot drive, take care of her house, or tend to her yard. "I can't do the things I used to do. I have to be dependent on my children, my grands," Ms. Williams says.

The surgery was meant to remove a mass from one of Ms. Williams's kidneys. She was supposed to be in and out of the hospital within three days. However, she could not move, nor could she feel her legs. When all was said and done, her hospital stay had extended to four months.

Ms. Williams's attorney, Sean Cronin, asserts the critical CT scan did not occur until days later, after the hospital's staff came back from their Memorial Day holiday. After the scan, doctors discovered her stapled aorta and sent her to the Mayo clinic for an emergency operation.

Meanwhile, the resulting blood impasse to Ms. Williams's legs caused a spinal cord stroke and left her motor ability permanently damaged.

Luckily, Ms. Williams's physical therapy twice a week is helping her to walk with the use of a cane, but she will likely never regain 100% walking strength. Williams has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against her hospital.

The Naval Hospital Jacksonville is no stranger to such lawsuits. Still, its spokesperson and Congressional Representative stand behind the hospital's overall record and commitment to safety.

As is so often the case, we do not have a comment on the suit from the hospital so early on. We particularly look forward to hearing the hospital's explanation for the allegations of the Memorial Day weekend-delayed CT scan.

Why is this important if you are a victim of malpractice in New York? It's important to understand how these malpractices work in New York. Each states' laws are different. Although there are common threads generally about what has to be proven, there are specific laws that lawyers in each state must be familiar with. The laws in NY are different than in Jacksonville.

If you would like more information about how medical malpractice and accident cases work in the state of New York, I encourage you to explore my educational website http://www.oginski-law.com. If you have legal questions,  I urge you to pick up the phone and call me at 516-487-8207 or by e-mail at [email protected] to answer your questions. That's what I do every day. I welcome your call.