Latest news with #NorthFultonHospital
News.com.au
21-06-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Man's horror ‘locked in' syndrome after error
A young man is now locked in a nightmare after his livelihood was stolen by negligent doctors. Jonathan Buckelew, 34, has been awarded a staggering $75 million (AU $116 million) in damages after multiple physicians failed to diagnose his life-threatening stroke, leaving him paralysed from head to toe for the rest of his life. Jonathan was rushed to North Fulton Hospital on October 26, 2015, after falling unconscious during a chiropractic neck adjustment, New York Post reported. Despite the emergency response, almost every physician who came into contact failed to clock Jonathan's stroke. Their lackadaisical care led the patient in his mid-20s to develop horrific locked-in syndrome, leaving him unable to move or talk despite having full consciousness. 'This case is heartbreaking because Jonathan's paralysis and brain damage were completely avoidable,' said Jonathan's lawyer, Lloyd Bell, in a statement made following the Georgia Court of Appeals' decision to uphold a verdict in their favour last March. 'If the slew of healthcare providers involved in Jonathan's care would have acted according to the standard of care, caught and treated his stroke earlier, and communicated more effectively, Jonathan's life would look entirely different.' The Buckelews sued the chiropractor, the hospital, Dr. Matthew Womack, radiologist James Waldschmidt and neurologist Christopher Nickum for their failure to catch Jonathan's stroke — the rapid treatment of which could have prevented his tragic outcome. A Fulton County state court found Womack and Waldschmidt guilty of malpractice, ordering the former to hand over $40 million. Jonathan was ultimately awarded $29 million in past and future medical expenses and $46 million for pain and suffering, per court documents. Jonathan is now restricted to communication through eye movements and a keypad that he manages to use with his nose. His parents, Jack and Janice, have turned their home into a 24-hour care centre for their debilitated son. 'I really feel like there's no real justice for somebody who lost every aspect of his life,' Jack, told CBS affiliate Atlanta News First. 'He wants to do things, he wants to go places — it just breaks our heart to see him like he is,' the desperate father continued. 'There are some days where he's like 'pull the plug,' so those are the tough days.' Jonathan's counsel has blamed the hospital staff for not following standard procedure. 'The ER doctor saw this patient was having all these signs and symptoms of stroke and never called a stroke alert, and they had policies in place that they were supposed to follow certain protocols to reach the correct diagnosis, and they didn't follow their policies and procedures,' Bell said.
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Man in his 20s went for simple neck adjustment at chiropractor and ended up with LOCKED-IN syndrome
A man in his 20s suffered a series of strokes after a visit to his chiropractor - but they were missed by hospital doctors and he ended up with locked-in syndrome. Jonathan Buckelew, now 34, suffered a life-altering emergency on October 26, 2015, when he was rushed to a Georgia hospital after he seized and became unresponsive during a chiropractic neck adjustment, according to court documents. Buckelew was sent to North Fulton Hospital, which has since been renamed, where his brain stem stroke went undiagnosed for a day. The delay left him with locked-in syndrome, a rare neurological condition that leaves the patient completely paralyzed except for their eyes. Those with the nightmarish condition are aware of their surroundings and can typically hear, but have no way of moving or communicating. Buckelew sued the chiropractor, the hospital, Dr. Matthew Womack, radiologist James Waldschmidt, and the on-call neurologist Christopher Nickum. A Fulton County state court found that Womack and Waldschmidt failed to diagnose Buckelew, and he was awarded an unprecedented $75 million in damages. The Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed the decision in March, slapping Womack with a $40 million medical malpractice verdict. Buckelew was granted $9 million in past medical expenses, $20 million in future expenses, and $46 million for pain and suffering, according to court documents. 'This case is heartbreaking because Jonathan's paralysis and brain damage were completely avoidable,' Buckelew's attorney, Lloyd Bell, said after the jury ruled in their favor. 'If the slew of healthcare providers involved in Jonathan's care would have acted according to the standard of care, caught and treated his stroke earlier, and communicated more effectively, Jonathan's life would look entirely different.' Buckelew's life is now completely unrecognizable from before the incident. He was active and played sports, but is now unable to move or speak. 'I really feel like there's no real justice for somebody who lost every aspect of his life,' his father, Jack, told CBS affiliate Atlanta News First. Jack told the outlet that he and his wife, Janice, have had to completely transform their home to accommodate their son's needs. He said they made their home into 'an ICU' and keep at least two months worth of medical supplies on hand. Jack said his family 'feels a lot of pain' after their son's life was halted by the debilitating condition. 'He (Jonathan} wants to do things, he wants to go places - it just breaks our heart to see him like he is,' Jack said, adding that his son's spirit keeps him going. 'There are some days where he's like "pull the plug," so those are the tough days.' Buckelew can't speak with his family, but he communicates by blinking or using his nose his to type on a keypad. Bell argued that Buckelew's circumstances were due to the hospital staff's inability to follow procedure. 'The ER doctor saw this patient was having all these signs and symptoms of stroke and never called a stroke alert, and they had policies in place that they were supposed to follow certain protocols to reach the correct diagnosis, and they didn't follow their policies and procedures.' Womack's appeal was denied by a Georgia court of appeals, but he has appealed again to the state's Supreme Court. Waldschmidt also filed an appeal but later withdrew.
