Lawsuit alleging medical malpractice filed on Reimold's behalf

A lawsuit has been filed in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City on behalf of outfielder Nolan Reimold alleging negligent medical care at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the continuation of a saga that's included two spinal fusion surgeries and the derailment of a promising career.

Reimold, 31, believes he was cleared too quickly to resume baseball activities following the initial procedure in June 2012 to remove a herniated disc and fuse two vertebrae. He underwent a corrective surgery the following year.

Reimold has privately referenced the pending suit, but never went public until today's statement from the firm of Murphy, Falcon and Murphy that's representing him in the lawsuit.

"I had no idea that every game I played caused me further injury because my bones weren't fused," Reimold said.

The complaint alleges that Ziya Gokaslan, a Hopkins neurosurgeon, discharged Reimold to full play prematurely without any activity restrictions. In 2012, Reimold underwent an anterior cervical decompression with fusion. According to the complaint, Gokaslan discharged Reimold in January 2013 before his neck bones were fused.

Reimold appeared in 40 games in 2013, hitting .195/.250/.336 in 140 plate appearances.

"I was under the impression that everything was fused. Dr. Gokaslan released me to full play without any activity restrictions, so I thought I was good to play and workout," Reimold said. "I did my best to get back on track. I had no idea that every game I played caused me further injury because my bones were not fused."

"Nolan's injuries and subsequent absence from the game were entirely avoidable," said attorney Hassan Murphy.

Reimold signed a minor league deal on Feb. 3 knowing that the Orioles outfield was crowded. He hit .340/.439/.489 with a double, two home runs, nine RBIs and eight walks in 24 exhibition games and stayed healthy throughout camp - he lost two hits, including a home run, after a March 27 game was cancelled due to rain. But the Orioles reassigned him to Triple-A Norfolk.

Reimold is 4-for-16 with a double, an RBI and four walks with the Tides.

The Orioles selected Reimold in the second round of the 2005 draft out of Bowling Green University. He was selected off waivers by the Blue Jays and Diamondbacks last summer before re-signing with the Orioles, turning down a minor league offer from the Indians.

Reimold's contract includes a July 11 opt-out clause.