A Nashville woman is seeking $150 million from Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown, alleging that hospital staff injected the wrong medication into her spinal canal during knee replacement surgery and caused a permanent spinal cord injury.

Linda Gilbert was 78 when the alleged medication error occurred. Her lawsuit says the injury left her unable to walk, drive or live independently.

Four surgery patients received potassium phosphate instead of the intended anesthetic, mepivacaine, on Aug. 14, according to an Aug. 21 statement published on the hospital system’s website.

Gilbert filed her complaint on Nov. 6. The filing, provided to Fox News Digital by her attorney, alleges that the injection severely damaged her spinal cord and nerves.

According to the complaint, Gilbert was left with incomplete paraplegia and severe weakness in both legs. The lawsuit describes her injuries as permanent.

Gilbert also developed shock and respiratory failure that required treatment with a ventilator, according to the filing. At the time the lawsuit was filed, she remained in inpatient rehabilitation at a spinal cord injury center in Atlanta.

The complaint alleges that hospital staff continued using syringes from the same batch even after two earlier patients reported burning pain. It also alleges failures involving medication preparation and verification, as well as delays in treatment.

Gilbert is seeking $50 million in compensatory damages and $100 million in punitive damages. Together, the requested damages total $150 million.

Potassium phosphate is used to treat low phosphorus levels and to provide phosphorus in intravenous nutrition. Its prescribing information states that the medication must be diluted and administered through a vein.

The label warns that excessive doses or overly rapid intravenous administration can cause dangerous heart rhythms, cardiac arrest, seizures and death, according to prescribing information available through NIH’s DailyMed.

Those listed warnings address intravenous use. Gilbert’s lawsuit, however, alleges that potassium phosphate was injected into her spinal canal instead of the anesthetic intended for her procedure.

In a statement published by local NBC affiliate WSMV on Nov. 9, Ascension Saint Thomas said it knew about the complaint and was cooperating with the legal process. The hospital said it could not provide further details because the case remained ongoing.

Ascension Saint Thomas had previously addressed the medication error in a Sept. 11 statement on its website. “Our hearts remain with the four patients and families impacted by the recent medication error that occurred at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown,” the hospital wrote.

In a Sept. 16 update, the hospital said it was working with an independent quality consultant to “guide and verify the full scope of our corrective actions and process enhancements.” It added that it remained “committed to learning from this and upholding the standards of patient safety, quality, and compassionate care.”

About 790,000 total knee replacements are performed annually in the United States, according to the American College of Rheumatology. Most patients experience substantial pain relief and improved mobility after the procedure.

Only 2% of patients report serious complications, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Gilbert’s complaint centers on an alleged medication substitution during her surgery rather than the usual outcome of knee replacement itself.

Medication safety recommendations call for clear labeling that identifies each drug and its concentration. They also emphasize reading the label before administration so that each medication is correctly identified.