LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) -- A man is suing after his prosthetic leg was allegedly ruined in an MRI machine because the technician did not have him remove it first.
Matthew Baker filed a complaint on August 11 in the Circuit Court of Pulaski County in Arkansas against Pain Treatment Centers of America, PLLC, Broadspire Services, Inc., Crawford and Company and CNA Insurance Company Limited for medical negligence and tortious interference with business expectations.
According to the complaint, in 2011, Baker experienced a terrible event while working for a steel distribution warehouse in Little Rock. Several thousand pounds of steel pipe fell on him while a trailer was being loaded. He survived but lost his left leg.
Baker has used various leg prosthetics since his accident. A few years ago, he was approved for a very advanced leg. It contains advanced internal circuitry. Baker has been treated by a physical medicine physician at UAMS since his 2011 accident. He also follows with a pain management doctor as well, Neomi Ramsay, M.D., who is employed at Pain Treatment Centers of America.
In 2020, Baker developed some back pain and on March 25, 2020, Dr. Ramsay ordered an MRI for July 23, 2020. Before the procedure. Baker allegedly verbally explained that he wore a prosthetic leg, and he completed pre-procedure papers indicating so. The technician for the MRI did not tell Baker to remove his leg for going into the machine, and once the machine was turned on, his prosthetic leg began to emit an audible buzzing sound, the suit says.
Moments later, his leg was violently jerked upward to the side of the MRI machine. It had become magnetized, apparently, and stuck to the outside wall of the machine, the suit says.
The sudden jerking movement twisted him to one side and partially lifted him off the MRI bed. He called out for help and the MRI tech turned off the MRI. The tech ran into the room and allegedly exclaimed something along the lines of “[expletive], I was afraid this would happen!” Once the leg was removed and MRI was performed, Baker put his leg back on and it would not function, the suit says.
Baker seeks an entry of judgment for all elements of damages authorized. Baker is represented by Marc E. Stewart.
Circuit Court of Pulaski County case number 60CV-21-4912