A Las Vegas woman is suing Valley Health System and six employees, claiming a routine back surgery left her paralyzed and mostly bedridden. In a January lawsuit filed in Clark County District Court, 56-year-old Lisa Fielder alleges negligence, negligent supervision, and sexual battery, saying her straightforward spine procedure and rehab stay turned into a nightmare of botched care, alleged sexual assault, and permanent, life-altering injuries.
Allegations Detailed In The Filing
According to the lawsuit, Fielder checked into Spring Valley Hospital last Monday for an elective lumbar decompression and fusion, then was transferred to Valley Health Specialty Hospital for inpatient rehabilitation. Court filings say the alleged assault by a physical therapist occurred on Sunday during her rehab stay.
The lawsuit also claims postoperative nursing staff failed to consistently follow spinal precautions and improperly repositioned or transferred her. These alleged failures reportedly led to another surgery and left her with ongoing paralysis, according to the 71-page complaint reviewed by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Police Report And Attorney’s Statement
A Metro Police report included with the civil filing quotes Fielder as telling officers that the therapist “kissed her on the lips multiple times” while kneeling beside her hospital bed. The complaint, along with state licensing records referenced in the suit, says the same therapist had previously been disciplined in 2004 for a sexual relationship with a patient.
Those records indicate the therapist later regained licensure and is currently listed as active, with a license expiration date of July 31. Fielder’s attorney, Ryan Saldanha, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that his client now spends most days bedridden.
Licensing And Oversight
Licensing information for physical therapists in Nevada is publicly available through the State of Nevada Physical Therapy Board, which the complaint cites. The board’s online verification tool currently lists the therapist named in the suit as an active licensee, according to the State of Nevada Physical Therapy Board.
Hospital Ownership And System Response
Spring Valley Hospital and Valley Health Specialty Hospital both operate under The Valley Health System, which is owned by Universal Health Services, a national hospital operator. Valley Health System is listed as a defendant in the complaint…