PORTLAND, Ore., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A Portland jury awarded $10 million to John Douglas Cox, a longtime Clark County diesel mechanic who was left partially paralyzed after doctors failed to promptly diagnose and treat a spinal infection that was compressing his spinal cord.
The jury returned a $10 million verdict, allocating 80% of the fault to Kaiser, which was not a defendant at trial, and 20% to the physicians who treated Cox.
The verdict was secured by Jane Paulson of Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC. “I am proud that the jury recognized what Doug Cox has endured and the consequences of the care he received,” said Ms. Paulson. “This case was about accountability and patient safety. We hope this verdict will help improve how patients with neurological emergencies are treated in emergency rooms, while giving Doug the resources he needs to live the best life possible going forward.”
The case stems from events in December 2021, when the plaintiff, then 62 years old, developed a severe infection related to a recently implanted spinal cord stimulator.
The infection, known as a spinal epidural abscess, can progress rapidly and compress the spinal cord, potentially causing permanent paralysis if treatment is delayed.
After experiencing worsening symptoms and sepsis, he was transported by ambulance to the emergency department at the hospital, where he arrived with new-onset paralysis beginning at the T7 level of his spine.
According to evidence presented at trial, one emergency physician recognized that the patient was suffering from acute neurological decline and ordered imaging. However, Ms. Paulson argued that critical delays followed because hospital staff were unable to determine whether the patient’s spinal cord stimulator was MRI-compatible. Rather than escalating the issue or contacting a device representative to confirm compatibility, hospital staff waited for authorization from the patient’s out-of-town physician while Cox remained in the emergency department.
During that time, no spine surgeon or neurosurgeon was consulted, despite hospital contracts providing 24-hour specialist coverage.
Cox waited nearly 17 hours in the emergency department while his paralysis progressed.
When imaging was eventually performed, it focused on the wrong region of the spine and failed to identify the underlying condition. The patient was ultimately transferred back to Kaiser, where additional imaging revealed a spinal epidural abscess that was compressing the spinal cord. Surgery was performed more than 27 hours after he first arrived at the hospital, by which time the damage had become permanent.
Medical experts testified that earlier diagnosis and surgical decompression are critical to preventing permanent spinal cord injury.
At trial, defense attorneys argued that earlier intervention would not necessarily have changed the patient’s outcome. The jury disagreed.
“This verdict reflects the jury’s recognition that when a patient arrives in the emergency department with rapidly progressing paralysis, every hour matters,” added Ms. Paulson.
“Our client did everything he could to get help — he even emailed his own doctor from the emergency room saying he was ‘going paralyzed’ and was terrified he might never walk again.”
Prior to the injury, the plaintiff worked for decades as a diesel mechanic for Clark County, WA and was nearing completion of 30 years of service. Following the delayed diagnosis, he fought to return to work despite severe mobility limitations, initially using a wheelchair and later a walker. Ultimately, complications including infections and hip problems forced him to leave the job he loved just months before reaching his service milestone.
Although the plaintiff can now walk short distances and slowly climb the stairs in his home using handrails, he continues to live with permanent neurological damage and limited mobility.
The case is John Douglas Cox vs Kaiser, et al., Multnomah County Case Number 23CV40984.
About Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC
Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC is a nationally recognized personal injury and medical malpractice law firm based in Portland, Oregon. The firm represents individuals and families harmed by medical negligence, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death, and has secured numerous multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients across the Pacific Northwest.
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SOURCE Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC
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