A Florida woman filed a lawsuit against Naval Hospital Jacksonville (Fla.) claiming physicians knowingly left a piece of a needle in her spine for 14 years, according to CBS 47 News.
According to the lawsuit filed in federal court, former patient Amy Bright stated she had experienced chronic back pain since her son's birth roughly 14 years ago.
Ms. Bright said in the lawsuit she went to Naval Hospital Jacksonville for treatment where physicians diagnosed her with sciatica, a condition in which an individual experiences pain typically along the spine or down one side of the body resulting from pressure on the sciatic nerve. However, a CT scan revealed a piece of a needle was embedded into her spine, according to the report.
According to Ms. Bright's complaint, Naval Hospital Jacksonville allegedly failed to properly install the needle during the epidural used during her son's birth, and failed to inform her or report the incident in her medical records, AJC.com reports.
An attorney for Ms. Bright said a judge will decide if she is entitled to any damages.
Becker's Hospital Review reached out to Naval Hospital Jacksonville March 23 for comment. A spokesperson for the hospital redirected all comment to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The DOJ declined to comment to Becker's.