Hospital lost patient’s skull, offered $25 gas card as recompense, lawsuit claims

A patient at a Detroit hospital is now bedridden in a nursing home after surgeons lost a portion of her skull, a lawsuit claims. Her family is suing, blaming the error for her lack of recovery. 

Edna Burton suffered a stroke and underwent a hemicraniectomy in June 2023 to alleviate cranial pressure. The procedure involves removing part of the skull, which can be put back into place at a later date. 

However, when it came time to restore Burton’s skull, her family claims hospital staff informed them that it was lost—or more specifically, that it got mixed up with a patient named Edna Brown, who also had a bone flap removed.

According to coverage from ClickOnDetroit, the hospital—which was then Ascension St. John—was able to have surgeons apply a prosthetic, but Burton’s family said it did not facilitate the expected recovery. Instead, her condition only worsened. 

The hospital denies there’s any connection between Burton’s failing health and the prosthetic bone. However, according to the lawsuit, administrators did attempt to apologize for the error, offering the family a $25 gasoline gift card for their trouble. 

Burton had worked at the facility for over 20 years before becoming an emergency patient. The family is seeking damages on her behalf. 

For more, read the full story from ClickOnDetroit at the link below.