A nurse in Australia is suing the hospital where she works, claiming PTSD after seeing a patient's face catch fire during a surgical procedure, which left the elderly patient with “charred black” skin and other burns in March of 2020. The fire, which was later found to have been caused by oxygen ignited by a tool used in the procedure, caused Nurse Marilyn Espinola to fear everyone in the room was going to die in an explosion.
Now, Espinola says she suffers from constant panic attacks and is unable to return to work, though she’s tried to multiple times. “I cannot be alone anywhere, I'm only safe here at home. I don't drive anymore because triggers are everywhere. I get triggered every day just by watching TV,” she said. Though it’s unclear how much Espinola is suing for, she’s seeking compensation for her past and future loss of income and for her pain and suffering.