ORLANDO — A Rhode Island patient is suing medical practitioners, alleging negligence.
Christina Saunders filed a complaint Sept. 6 in Orange County Circuit Court against Dr. Allison W. Nassif, U.S. Anesthesia Partners of Florida Inc., Florida Hospital-Orlando et al., alleging they breached professional standards of care and treatment.
According to the complaint, on July 24, 2017, while Saunders was under the care of the defendants at Florida Hospital-Orlando, they attempted to place an intravenous line in her but failed to make certain that the needle was located in the jugular vein before administering the anesthetic and flushing fluids into her carotid artery.
The suit says the defendants caused a blood clot that migrated into Saunders' head and caused severe and permanent injury to her brain, resulting in pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, medical expenses and aggravation of a previous existing condition.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants failed to properly place the intravenous line, failed to analyze blood from the intravenous line, failed to recognize or determine the location of the intravenous line, failed to assess or monitor that the intravenous line had punctured Saunders' artery, and failed to immediately respond to the cannulated carotid artery.
Saunders seeks trial by jury and damages in excess of $15,000. She is represented by attorney Robert Rossano of Law Offices of Robert Rossano PA in Coral Gables.
Orange County Circuit Court case number 18-CA-9600