A Maine medical malpractice jury awarded a woman $17 million for the catastrophic injuries she suffered when a surgeon wrongfully removed her bladder during surgery to remove a benign ovarian cyst. The two-week trial ended on July 23, 2026, at which time the Maine medical malpractice jury found the defendants Northern Light Inland Hospital and Northern Light Health responsible for the plaintiff’s past and future medical expenses, past and future pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, and permanent impairment.
The woman’s saga began on March 1, 2023 when she had laparoscopic surgery to remove a benign ovarian cyst that had significantly increased in size. When the woman’s condition deteriorated after the surgical procedure, she was transferred to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine, for emergency surgery. It was discovered during the emergency surgery that the woman’s bladder had been unintentionally removed during the original surgery, which was confirmed by pathology that found that the tissue removed and submitted for examination was full-thickness bladder tissue. The surgeons determined at that time that there was not enough healthy bladder tissue remaining to reconstruct or repair the woman’s bladder.
The woman was required to rely on bilateral nephrostomy tubes to drain urine directly from her kidneys for more than eight months. She experienced recurring urinary tract infections, kidney infections, and other complications, and she had to endure multiple medical procedures. Surgeons in Massachusetts subsequently were able to perform a complex reconstructive surgery that entailed using a portion of her small intestine to create a neobladder (a surgically created internal pouch positioned in the same location as where the bladder had been).
At the time of trial, the woman continued to require self-catheterization multiple times each day, she required ongoing medical treatment, and she was receiving continuing care from medical specialists.
One of the woman’s Maine medical malpractice lawyers stated after the verdict: “For our clients, this isn’t just a legal victory—it’s the closure they’ve needed for a long time. They can finally begin to move forward, knowing that what happened to them was seen, heard, and acknowledged. This verdict won’t undo the pain our clients have endured, but it does offer something they haven’t had in a long time: closure. They can finally put this chapter behind them.”
A Northern Light Health spokesperson stated after the verdict: “We respect the jury’s verdict and extend our sympathy to Ms. Mitchell and her family. Every patient who comes to our organization deserves safe, compassionate, and high-quality care. When outcomes fall short of those expectations, we take them very seriously. We are committed to continuously evaluating our care, our systems, and our processes to identify opportunities to improve safety and the care provided to our patients.”
If you or a loved one may have been injured as a result of medical negligence in Maine, you should promptly find a Maine medical malpractice lawyer who may investigate your medical malpractice claim for you and represent you or your loved one in a Maine medical malpractice case, if appropriate.
Click here to visit our website or call us toll-free in the United States at 800-295-3959 to find medical malpractice attorneys in your U.S. state who may assist you.
Turn to us when you don’t know where to turn.
