ZDR’s Morgan Murphy Featured on KSDK

Attorney Morgan Murphy was interviewed by KSDK this week as part of a story on our client, Natalie Avilez, who was the victim of an unfortunate wrong-side surgery.

About Wrong-Side Surgeries

Natalie struggled with severe back pain for years before seeking help from Dr. Fangxiang Chen, a neurosurgeon affiliated with Mercy Clinic. Dr. Chen identified an issue with a disc on the right side of her spine and recommended a surgical procedure to correct it. Upon waking up from the surgery, however, Natalie learned that Dr. Chen had unintentionally operated on her left side. This surgical error is known as a wrong-side surgery. Natalie then allowed Dr. Chen to attempt a second surgery, which only made her pain worse.

Surgical Liability During COVID-19

Natalie approached Zevan Davidson Roman for representation and we moved to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against Dr. Chen. However, Dr. Chen has claimed immunity under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act, which was activated in March 2020 to give certain legal protections to healthcare providers working to stop the spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 is irrelevant to the fact that Dr. Chen performed the incorrect surgery. We trust healthcare providers with our lives. We must hold them accountable when they demonstrate negligence or carelessness in their work. This case is ongoing and we look forward to bringing Natalie the compensation and peace of mind she deserves.

Watch the video on KSDK here.

About Morgan Murphy

Morgan previously represented physicians and medical corporations in cases of medical malpractice. Her unique perspective as a former defense attorney makes her a tremendous asset to our team as we represent the victims and loved ones who have been harmed by medical malpractice. At Zevan Davidson Roman, Morgan has led several successful cases involving failure to diagnose, wrong-site surgeries and more.