Mom With Flesh-Eating Bacteria Sues Hospital After Limbs Amputated
Hospital, Doctors Named As Defendants
POSTED: Monday, April 2, 2007
UPDATED: 9:07 pm EDT April 2,
2007
A Central Florida woman who lost her arms and legs after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria after childbirth is suing Orlando Regional South Seminole Hospital, alleging medical malpractice.
Claudia Mejias, 23, originally went to Orlando Regional South Seminole Hospital for the delivery of her son, Matthew.
After she gave birth, doctors told Mejias that she had contracted a flesh-eating bacteria -- with amputation her only option.
"I remember it was Mother's Day and they told me, 'We got to amputate your legs and arms if you want to live,'" Mejias said.
Mejias' future husband, Tim, told her they would make it and they got married at the hospital after the amputations, Local 6 reported.
After the amputations, Mejias and her attorneys said they wanted the hospital to release details that might explain why she lost her arms and legs.
"We have sought answers from the hospital (and) not gotten the answers she deserves, so we have come here to the courthouse to file a complaint for medical negligence," attorney Ronald Gilbert said.
The hospital revealed limited information about seven cases of strep in the 10 months leading up to Mejias' requested information, Local 6 reported.
"They were told it would cost the hospital too much money to gather the data and that some of the data would invade patient privacy," Local 6's Steven Cooper said. "The hospital told the court that the information might be more forthcoming if Claudia filed a medical malpractice lawsuit, which is exactly what she has done today."
Claudia Mejias and her attorneys filed the lawsuit in Seminole County, Fla., Monday.
The hospital, two doctors and three nurses are named as defendants.
The suit not only seeks unspecified damages, it seeks explanations, Cooper reported.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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