OHSU surgeon dropped tool on patient’s spinal cord, lawsuit claims

PORTLAND – A 59-year-old man has filed a $22 million lawsuit against Oregon Health & Science University and one of its surgeons, alleging he was left paralyzed when the doctor twice dropped a surgical instrument on his spinal cord during an operation.

Roger Dale Brown’s lawsuit says he went to the hospital for an operation because of a pinched nerve in his neck on March 11. The suit doesn’t specify what type of tool fell, but says Dr. Clifford Lin was negligent in dropping it.

An OHSU spokeswoman told the Oregonian/OregonLive in an email that the hospital won’t comment on the suit and neither will the doctor.

The suit indicates that Brown is paralyzed from the neck down and his medical bills have already hit $2 million.