Stephanie Van Emst is seeking $13 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit against Abrazo Health Network after becoming paralyzed following treatment at their Glendale hospital. In September 2023, Van Emst visited the emergency room with severe back pain, shortness of breath, and numbness in her legs. Despite these alarming symptoms, she waited over 36 hours for an MRI, which ultimately revealed a spinal abscess. Van Emst claims that the delay in diagnosis and treatment resulted in permanent paralysis.

Her attorneys allege that the hospital's negligence in providing timely medical care violated medical standards, directly causing her life-altering injury. Van Emst, now unable to work and care for her three children, is pursuing compensation for lost income, pain, and suffering. If Abrazo Health is found liable, the damages could significantly impact future healthcare practices concerning emergency treatment.