A man who went for spinal surgery has been left completely paralyzed due to bungling doctors.
James Spangler, 54, was told the operation would fix the burning pain in his neck and pins and needles in his limbs caused by a condition called spinal stenosis.
But when he woke up after the three-hour surgery at WellSpan York Hospital in Pennsylvania, the father-of-three found he couldn’t move anything except his toes.
Scans later revealed that doctors had wrongly inserted screws into his spinal cord, which controls movements in the body.
He has now been awarded $24million in compensation after being forced to quit his job as a mechanic at Harley Davidson, which he had held for 26 years, and needing his wife Wendy to care for him 24/7.
James Spangler, 58, pictured following the botched surgery that left him unable to move anything except his toes
The family’s lawyer Iddo Harel, from Ross Feller Casey, told DailyMail.com: ‘He went from being a mechanic the day before to a quadriplegic the day after.
‘Mr Spangler is the kind of man who has worked very, very hard his whole life in manual professions and never took anything from anybody.
‘But now he needs his wife Wendy’s help to do everything, and even simple tasks like going to the bathroom.
‘He can’t stand up and walk himself into another room, he can now brush his teeth but he can’t put toothpaste on his toothbrush. This is not just physical torture, this is also emotional torture.’
He added: ‘Their lives have been so difficult over the last five years, and what his wife has done for him I can’t promise you that my wife or every wife would do the same. She has been caring for him 24/7.’
Mr Spangler was suffering from the common condition called cervical spinal stenosis, where the inside of vertebrae in the neck tightens and compresses the spinal cord, triggering pain.
About 12million people in the US have the condition, which is treated by a procedure to cut open the neck and vertebrae to relieve the pressure.
Doctors also screw a metal plate into the vertebrae during this procedure to protect the open area.
Mr Spangler, who is now 58 years old, had been suffering from pain, which felt like a ‘burning’ sensation, on and off for three months before he went to see doctors in late 2019.
He was diagnosed with his condition in September, and booked in to have the surgery the following month.
His wife Wendy, pictured above with him, has been his ‘rock’ and supported him day and night for five years following the surgery
He expressed concerns repeatedly to doctors after waking up from the surgery, but it took another 10 hours to get an MRI and then another 12 to go back into the operating room.
He has been through years of therapy since then and has now successfully gained back the ability to slightly move his right hand and walk as far as one block.
But he still needs constant help with day-to-day activities, including eating, using the toilet, cutting vegetables and brushing his teeth.
The family filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the hospital and their neurosurgeon Dr Joseph Krzeminski, who has since retired, in April 2021.
Their case was heard during an eight-day trial over the last two weeks, after which it took the jury just an hour to unanimously find the hospital and surgeon negligent.
The family has been awarded $23.87million, which will go towards paying for round-the-clock care for Mr Spangler.
Mr Harel said: ‘This case underscores the grave responsibility that healthcare providers have to their patients.
‘James Spangler trusted his neurosurgeon, and that trust was tragically violated in the operating room.
Mr Spangler was described as a man who had worked hard all his life and never asked anyone for anything. He is pictured above in a family photograph
‘The jury’s prompt and unanimous decision reflects the profound impact this negligence has had on Mr Spangler and his family — and the need for accountability in our healthcare system.’
A spokesperson for WellSpan said in a statement: ‘We are disappointed in the verdict given the evidence that was presented.
‘Options for appeal are being reviewed. Wellspan Health remains fully committed to providing safe, high-quality care for all of our patients.’
Although an appeal has been suggested, it is expected that it is unlikely that one will take place because during the trial Dr Krzeminski said he would not wish what has happened to Mr Spangler on his worst enemy.
The family cried in court as the verdict was read out and thanked their legal team for their aid. One of their sons attended the case, despite his parents requesting that he would not.
