Taylor Lewan suing Dr. James Andrews for malpractice related to ACL surgery, documents show
Former Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Taylor Lewan is suing famed surgeon Dr. James Andrews, his associate Dr. Benjamin Sherman and their employers for medical malpractice and damages in excess of $50,000 relating to Lewan's knee surgery performed in 2020, according to documents obtained by The Tennessean and USA TODAY Sports.
Lewan, 31, is suing Andrews, Sherman, Baptist Health Care Inc. and the Andrews Institute for 12 counts of malpractice. The suit alleges Andrews and Sherman failed to properly treat the injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in Lewan's right knee in various ways.
Lewan suffered reinjured the ACL in the same knee in Week 2 of last season. He didn't appear again for the Titans and was released in the offseason. The three-time Pro Bowler remains unsigned.
Attempts to contact the Andrews Institute and Lewan's lawyers weren't immediately successful on Thursday.
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In general, an ACL surgery requires removing the torn portion of the ligament and replacing it with a graft — healthy tissue from another part of the body or source. Per the suit, Lewan is alleging Andrews and Sherman didn't select grafting material of the proper length, didn't create the "proper tunnel position" between the knee and the tibia and failed to properly protect the cartilage of the knee, leading to further injury.
The suit alleges the damages sustained are permanent. Lewan is suing for damages because of severe pain and disability; suffering; disfigurement; loss of ability to enjoy life; past and future medical expenses; past and future loss of earnings; past and future loss of career opportunities; and mental distress.
"During the procedure, (the) defendants improperly performed the ACL repair, causing permanent injury to his right knee and surrounding structures, tendons, cartilage and ligaments," the lawsuit states. "As a result of (the) defendants' negligent acts and omissions, Plaintiff Taylor Lewan's career in the NFL was cut short."
The suit was filed in Florida, where Andrews' practice is located. Andrews is among the nation's most prominent orthopedic surgeons, having operated on athletes ranging from Michael Jordan to Roger Clemens to Jack Nicklaus to Drew Brees.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Taylor Lewan suing Dr. James Andrews for malpractice in ACL surgery
