PORTLAND, ME — A Florida couple has launched a federal medical malpractice lawsuit against two prominent Maine healthcare providers and an on-duty radiologist, alleging that a critical blood clot was completely missed on an imaging scan just hours before a devastating stroke. Jeffrey Sayward, 63, and his wife Kim Sayward filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, claiming that systemic medical negligence resulted in permanent, life-altering impairments.
The lawsuit names MaineHealth, Spectrum Healthcare Partners, and radiologist Dr. Eric J. Sax as defendants. According to court documents, the litigation centers around an emergency room visit that took place on May 29, 2023, at MaineHealth’s Southern Maine Health Care facility in Biddeford.
#### Missed Diagnosis and Discharged to Danger
The legal complaint outlines a timeline that began when Jeffrey Sayward, who was visiting Maine from his current home in Florida, experienced a sudden episode of syncope (fainting). His wife immediately called emergency services, and he was transported to the hospital’s emergency department.
To evaluate his neurological status, on-duty clinical staff ordered a Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) scan of his brain. The lawsuit alleges that a potential clot in a major artery carrying oxygen to his brain was clearly visible on the scan. However, Dr. Eric J. Sax, the reading radiologist responsible for interpreting the images, allegedly issued a “negative” report and completely failed to flag the dangerous blockage to the treating emergency room staff.
Believing the brain scans to be completely clear, hospital staff reportedly attributed Sayward’s fainting spell to mild dehydration from golfing under the sun the previous day. He was discharged and sent home with standard rehydration instructions.
Nearly nine hours later, the untreated blood clot dislodged and traveled further downstream into his brain. The blockage completely cut off blood supply to the left superior cerebellar artery, triggering a massive, acute stroke.
“This was a critical finding that a competent radiologist was compelled to detect,” stated Elizabeth Kayatta, a medical malpractice attorney at Berman & Simmons representing the Saywards. Kayatta emphasized that the couple followed proper protocols by seeking emergency care immediately, trusting the specialized diagnostic staff to flag life-threatening anomalies.
The Nine-Hour Care Breakdown Timeline
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[Morning] Sayward faints; taken to Biddeford ER
[Scan Review] Dr. Sax allegedly overlooks blood clot
[Discharge] ER attributes fainting to dehydration
[9 Hours Later] Clot dislodges, causing a severe stroke
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Severe Physical and Legal Repercussions
The consequences of the stroke were catastrophic. Sayward was rushed back to the hospital, where he spent a week in acute care before being transferred to the New England Rehabilitation Hospital for intensive, long-term inpatient physical and occupational therapy. Despite extensive rehabilitation, he continues to suffer from permanent physical and cognitive impairments that require ongoing medical oversight.
The legal filing seeks comprehensive damages for compounding medical bills, lost future earnings, physical pain, and profound emotional distress. Additionally, Kim Sayward is pursuing distinct damages for loss of consortium, asserting that the defendants’ medical oversight has fundamentally deprived her of her husband’s full companionship and shared quality of life.
A Precedent-Setting Federal Filing
Beyond the tragic medical details, the litigation represents a historic legal milestone for the state’s healthcare sector. Legal analysts believe this is the first non-governmental medical malpractice case to be successfully filed directly in Maine’s federal court following a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in January 2026 (Berk v. Choy).
Historically, the Maine Health Security Act required all medical malpractice claims to pass through a mandatory, closed-door screening panel before a plaintiff could file a lawsuit in state superior courts. Attorney Kayatta noted that this process traditionally cloaked malpractice allegations in total secrecy, leaving the public unaware of the true frequency of medical errors occurring statewide.
Because the Saywards reside out of state, the recent Supreme Court decision allows them to bypass the state’s restrictive screening panel boundaries and proceed openly in federal court. Kayatta hopes this avenue will pioneer a new era of transparency and public awareness regarding systemic medical mistakes in Maine.
Representatives for Spectrum Healthcare Partners have officially declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.
