What was supposed to be a quick fix for an ingrown toenail has landed a Portland-area woman in court, accusing Kaiser Permanente and a podiatrist of turning a routine visit into a medical nightmare.
Sarah Blackman alleges that during a Jan. 29 procedure, the podiatrist injected a 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol solution into her toes instead of a local anesthetic. According to her lawsuit, the injection left her hospitalized, in chronic pain, and struggling with impaired mobility. The complaint seeks $13 million in damages and was filed June 26 in Multnomah County Circuit Court.
As reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive, the complaint, brought by Tigard attorney Laura Kalur, claims the podiatrist was "in a rush" and that the rubbing alcohol was mistakenly used in place of the intended painkiller before the doctor removed Blackman’s toenails. The filing names Blackman and her husband, Jason Fleskes, as plaintiffs, with Fleskes seeking $1 million. Court documents reviewed by the outlet state that Blackman was hospitalized for two nights after the procedure.
Blackman’s lawsuit describes the episode as "torture," alleging that the alcohol destroyed tissue, left her with chronic pain and nightmares, and significantly limited her ability to walk. The complaint says the doctor proceeded to remove her toenails after injecting the alcohol and that she then required a two-night hospital stay. An internal email cited in the filing shows Kaiser staff referring to the incident as an "unfortunate event." A Kaiser spokesperson declined to comment, and the podiatrist did not return a request for comment. According to The Oregonian/OregonLive, the podiatrist appears to have since left Kaiser for a different Portland-area medical group.
Why alcohol in tissue can be dangerous
Medical literature notes that injecting alcohol into nerves or soft tissue can cause chemical neurolysis, dehydration of cells, and localized necrosis, effects that line up with the harms alleged in Blackman’s lawsuit. A case report and review in PubMed Central describes rare cases of digital ischemia and skin necrosis after alcohol injections in the foot.
A medical-policy review from Blue Cross also cautions that alcohol sclerosing injections destroy nerve tissue and classifies them as investigational for many uses.
Legal path ahead
To prevail, Blackman’s legal team will need to show that the podiatrist breached the applicable standard of care and that this breach directly caused the injuries described in the complaint. According to local malpractice counsel at Huegli Law, Kaiser cases in the Portland area sometimes involve procedural questions about member agreements and arbitration, which can affect where a case is heard and how discovery unfolds.
The complaint is currently pending in Multnomah County and is expected to move through the usual discovery process and expert-witness phases typical of medical malpractice litigation.
The lawsuit remains pending and no trial date has been reported.
