Woman sues Oklahoma hospital, says she was sexually assaulted while unconscious
By Kilee Thomas
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OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — An Oklahoma hospital is under fire after a patient claimed she was sexually assaulted while unconscious.
In a lawsuit filed this summer, the woman said she was raped after surgery at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center on Portland Avenue. The woman told police she woke up from surgery in a strange room with an achy feeling that couldn’t be explained.
“It is every woman’s nightmare that something like this could occur and it would not be anyone’s first thought,” said Riley Bisher, associate attorney at Ryan, Bisher, Ryan & Simons.
According to court documents obtained by KOCO 5, the woman underwent a hernia procedure in early April, a surgery she’s had to undergo several times, but this time, when she woke up, she knew something wasn’t right.
“She woke up in a room that did not seem like the post-surgery room that you’re supposed to wake up in,” Bisher said.
According to the police report, she woke up in a hospital room with a closed door, stating that was unusual; the woman said in the past, she was taken to an open recovery room for better monitoring.
“The day after surgery, she woke up with soreness in areas that one would not expect for having that type of procedure done,” Bisher said.
In the days after, the woman reported finding bumps on her privates. She made an appointment with her OBGYN and the test came back positive for a vaginal infection.
“The reason my client came forward and contacted me is she didn’t want to see this happen to anybody else,” Bisher said.
INTEGRIS couldn’t comment on the litigation but said patient safety is their top priority. OKC police have launched an investigation.
The lawsuit accused INTEGRIS of negligence, battery and infliction of emotional distress.
“It’s a horrendous situation. You go to a hospital with the expectation that they are going to care for you as a patient. You put your life in their hands, especially if you’re undergoing a procedure where you are going to be under anesthesia. This should not happen at any hospital, anywhere,” Bisher said.
The woman’s lawyer said if there are any other victims to bravely come forward to police and share their story.
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