Former Miami Marlins outfielder Avisail Garcia says a blown diagnosis at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine did more than sideline him, it ended his Major League career, and he is now suing over it. Garcia alleges that a stress fracture in his lower back went untreated for more than a year, leading to escalating pain and eventually invasive surgery that he says finished his playing days.
According to NBC 6 South Florida, Garcia’s lawsuit says an MRI revealed a pars defect, described as a stress fracture, but doctors at the Miller School did not follow up with a recommended CT scan. His attorney, Jorge Silva, told the station that “the radiology report making the proper diagnosis with the proper recommendation fell through the cracks,” and the filing says Garcia was instead treated for muscle or disc pain with aggressive physical therapy and injections that only made things worse. The complaint notes that the university had not responded to requests for comment, and the Marlins are not named as defendants.
Background and career
Garcia arrived in Miami with big expectations, signing a four-year, $53 million deal with the Marlins before the 2022 season, according to MLB.com. By June 2024, he had been designated for assignment and released, moves the club framed in part around his injuries. Once an All-Star and a middle-of-the-order bat at his peak, Garcia’s stint with the Marlins was marked by recurring physical setbacks and limited time on the field.
Surgery and alleged harm
The complaint says that only after his release from the Marlins did a New York doctor perform “extensive back surgery,” inserting plates and screws to stabilize the injured area. Garcia’s lawyers argue those procedures could have been avoided if the earlier imaging and treatment path had been different. The suit alleges that delays in diagnosis and care “cut short” Garcia’s career and left him dealing with chronic pain, according to the NBC 6 South Florida report.
Legal context for Florida claims
Medical malpractice claims in Florida are governed by tight deadlines and procedural hoops. In most cases, plaintiffs have two years from when an issue is discovered to bring a claim, with an outside four-year limit in many situations. Pre-suit steps and expert reports often shape how a case starts and whether it ever reaches a jury. The rules and exceptions that can make or break a malpractice lawsuit are laid out in the official Florida statutes.
What’s next
The case is now set to wind through filings and discovery, a process that could stretch for months or even years if it proceeds to trial. Beyond the legal back-and-forth, Garcia’s lawsuit puts a fresh spotlight on how injuries to high-level athletes are diagnosed and managed by local medical providers and sports organizations, and what happens when a player believes that care went badly wrong.
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