ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A St. Louis County man says he is suing SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital after he fell and became paralyzed due to uneven pavement.
Rowan Miller says he was leaving his doctor’s office at the hospital when one step on uneven pavement in the parking garage changed his life forever.
“It was like somebody kicked me in the back of the head because out of nowhere I just fell and I mean immediately face forward into the street, jamming my forehead, actually into the ground and breaking my glasses,” Miller said.
Miller says he tried to get up but couldn’t.
“My next biggest worry was that because it was a dimly lit garage a car would come around the corner and pretty much just run me over,” Miller said.
Luckily people nearby saw what happened and helped move him out of the way until an ambulance came. Paramedics rushed him to Barnes Jewish Hospital for surgery where he woke up two days later to hear devastating news.
“Well, they pretty much told me I was paralyzed. I mean, it was pretty much just that simple,” Miller said.
Miller said he is now paralyzed from the neck down.
“I have some movement in my arms, but I have no dexterity in either hand. So, I mean, I can't pick up anything and I get some movement in my legs. But a lot of that is just muscle spasms,” Miller said.
His lawyer from Morgan and Morgan, Christopher Hinckley, says it’s the hospital’s job to make sure their property is safe and to warn people if it’s unsafe -- which they claim in the lawsuit was not done.
“Justice in our terms means one, holding those accountable to the causes, but two making sure that Mr. Miller has what he needs to survive the rest of his life. Those basic needs are taken care of. That's what we're looking for,” Hinckley said.
Miller says he’s thankful for his family and the community around him for helping him through this and even doing the simple things he can’t do on his own anymore, like drinking water or wiping off his face.
“Without them, I would have gone crazy by now. So any time I can have company or friends come by, I mean that's always a better day, you know, because you need that. You need some type of support at all times,” Miller said.
5 On Your Side reached out to SSM Health Thursday afternoon for comment and a spokesperson told us they would look into the matter but as of Thursday night we haven't received a response.