Jury Awards Iowa Woman $19.8M in Mayo Clinic Malpractice Case

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - An Olmsted County jury has awarded an Iowa woman nearly $20 million in damages in a medical malpractice case against Mayo Clinic.

The verdict in favor of Linette and Daniel Nelson of Fort Dodge, Iowa, was reached this week following a trial in Rochester. The couple filed the negligence lawsuit against Mayo Clinic and a former Mayo Clinic surgeon in January 2022, seeking damages stemming from Linette’s treatment in Rochester in 2017 and 2018.

Details of the Malpractice Allegations

The lawsuit claimed that Nelson was under the care of Dr. Amy Lightner, who recommended a series of three surgeries involving her digestive tract. The second operation involved the removal of Nelson’s rectum, and the lawsuit claimed that Lightner failed to remove it entirely. It was also alleged that the doctor advised Nelson that medical imaging showing a portion of her rectum was still intact was incorrect and told her it was safe to proceed with the final surgery.

Following the third operation, Nelson reported feeling pain and pressure and stated that she conveyed that information to Mayo Clinic on multiple occasions. According to the lawsuit, Nelson was scheduled to meet with Dr. Lightner in October 2018 regarding her ongoing health problems but was informed that “Lightner was gone and they were not sure if she would be back.” She was also told that her case was being taken over by another physician.

Jury Reaches Multimillion-Dollar Verdict

Ultimately, the lawsuit says Nelson underwent another series of operations at Mayo Clinic in an effort to correct the problems with her digestive organs. The lawsuit claimed that negligent care by Lightner caused Nelson to “suffer numerous other medical issues and problems, including severe scarring and disfigurement, pelvic floor disorder, fibromyalgia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other medical complications.”

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After hearing testimony and evidence in the case, the Olmsted County jury on Tuesday awarded her and her husband a total of $19.8 million in damages.

At this time, it’s unknown if Mayo Clinic will appeal the verdict.

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