A Kentucky woman, Brenda Roberts, entered a nursing home for what was meant to be “short-term” rehabilitation after fracturing her ankle. However, due to alleged neglect by staff, she endured the amputation of her left leg below the knee, as claimed in a lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, personnel at Coldspring Transitional Care Center in Campbell County neglected to remove Roberts’ “immobilizing ankle boot” while she was resting in bed or seated, leading to her left heel being pressed against the “hard plastic surfaces” of the boot. This oversight occurred despite instructions from her orthopedic surgeon, as outlined in her legal complaint.

This mismanagement allegedly resulted in “skin exposure over the heel” and “excessive pressure,” culminating in a stage 4 ulcer and a rapid decline in Roberts’ health. Her attorney, Matt Mooney, stated that these complications ultimately necessitated the amputation of her leg below the knee.

“No one anticipates a routine rehab visit to turn into a disaster ending in amputation,” Mooney remarked to Law&Crime. “We often see preventable harm stemming from insufficient staffing and inadequate care in such facilities.”

Mooney explained that during Roberts’ stay at Coldspring, she witnessed the deterioration of the skin and tissue over her heel due to prolonged pressure, which cut off blood flow because she was compelled to keep wearing the medical boot, as detailed in the complaint.

The lawsuit accuses the defendants of “failing to remove the immobilizing ankle boot” while Roberts was lying down or seated, which not only violated her doctor’s orders but also ignored basic standards of care and safety. The complaint alleges that this negligence caused Roberts to suffer “unnecessary loss of personal dignity, extreme pain and suffering, degradation, mental anguish, disability, and disfigurement,” all attributed to the defendants’ wrongful actions.

Mooney tells Law&Crime that families are supposed to be able to “trust short-term rehab facilities to help their loved ones recover and go home,” not get worse.

“Defendants owed a duty to Brenda Roberts to have in place procedures and protocols to properly care for residents,” the complaint concludes.

“I felt neglected there,” Roberts told local ABC affiliate WCPO. “I didn’t have anyone really coming to look at my foot.”

Coldspring did not respond to Law&Crime’s requests for comment Sunday.