# Nashville Woman Sues Ascension Saint Thomas for $150 Million Over Spinal Injection Error

> Linda Gilbert seeks $150 million from Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown, alleging a potassium phosphate injection during knee surgery left her.

- Published: 2026-11-10T05:21:04+00:00
- Section: Legal & Disputes
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-10/ascension-saint-thomas-150-million-lawsuit
- Source: [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/nashville-woman-seeks-150m-lawsuit-042356143.html)

## Key takeaways

- Linda Gilbert filed a health care liability lawsuit in Davidson County Circuit Court on November 6 seeking $150 million from Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown.
- The suit alleges potassium phosphate was injected into her spinal canal instead of mepivacaine during a knee replacement on August 14.
- Gilbert seeks $50 million in compensatory damages and $100 million in punitive damages and requests a jury trial.

Linda Gilbert filed a health care liability lawsuit in Davidson County Circuit Court on November 6 seeking $150 million in damages from Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown over a medication error during her knee replacement, [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/nashville-woman-seeks-150m-lawsuit-042356143.html) reported, citing WSMV4. The suit is the first related to the August incident that WSMV4 has found.

## Inside Gilbert's $150 Million Complaint

Gilbert, then 78, was undergoing a knee replacement when potassium phosphate was injected into her spinal canal, according to the lawsuit. The complaint alleges she suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury that left her with severe weakness and loss of use of her legs, and says she is receiving inpatient rehabilitation and that her injuries are permanent.

The lawsuit alleges hospital staff failed to stop using syringes from the same batch after two earlier patients reported burning pain. It also alleges failures in the pharmacy's medication preparation and verification processes and delays in Gilbert's treatment. Gilbert seeks $50 million in compensatory damages and $100 million in punitive damages, challenges Tennessee's limits on non-economic damages and requests a jury trial.

Ascension Saint Thomas said four joint-replacement patients were mistakenly given potassium phosphate instead of the intended anesthetic, mepivacaine, on August 14, and that all four suffered adverse reactions. In a statement, the health system said: "Ascension Saint Thomas is aware of the complaint that was filed and is cooperating with the legal process. Our sympathy and concern remain with the affected patients and their families. As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are unable to share additional details at this time."

## Medicare Scrutiny Before the Filing

On September 4, American City Business Journals reported that Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown faced potential Medicare termination after the four patients received the wrong medication on August 14, and that the hospital was in immediate jeopardy on three CMS participation conditions per an August 21 report. On September 9, the same outlet reported that the hospital received a termination letter from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requiring it to stay compliant. On September 28, Becker's Hospital Review reported that Jeremy Mercer was named vice president of joint ventures and chief integration officer at Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville.

## Other Legal Disputes This Week

The Justice Department sued Lyft on Monday, alleging the ride-hailing service discriminated against passengers with disabilities, including those using service animals and stowable wheelchairs, and seeking $53 million, [MarketScreener](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/us-sues-lyft-alleges-it-denied-rides-to-passengers-with-service-dogs-and-wheelchairs-ce785fd3d08ef020) reported. A Missouri circuit court jury unanimously ruled for Monsanto in a three-plaintiff glyphosate case on October 30, 2026, [The National Law Review](https://natlawreview.com/article/monsanto-wins-first-roundupr-glyphosate-trial-after-u-s-supreme-courts-durnell) reported. A federal court solidified a $245 million patent award to TwinStrand Biosciences and UW, [American City Business Journals](https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2026/11/09/twinstrand-biosciences-guardant-health-uw-dna.html?ana=brss_6222) reported.

## What Comes Next in Court

Gilbert's complaint requests a jury trial in Davidson County Circuit Court. Ascension Saint Thomas said it self-reported the error to regulators and made changes to pharmacy processes and safety protocols, and that federal regulators removed the hospital's "Immediate Jeopardy" status in September after validating corrective measures.

## Companies in this story

- Ascension Saint Thomas · website: https://healthcare.ascension.org/saint-thomas

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