Jefferson Airplane’s Marty Balin ‘Disabled’ After Heart Surgery
Marty Balin — co-founder of Jefferson Airplane and longtime singer for that group and its later incarnation, Jefferson Starship — was, according to a lawsuit, left “totally disabled” by the care he received at a New York City hospital, following an emergency heart procedure.
According to the New York Post, Balin has filed the suit against Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital, alleging that staff there botched his recovery from open-heart surgery in 2016, causing him to lose half his tongue, his vocal cords, left thumb and the mobility in his left hand.
Balin, 76, was in New York for a gig on March 12, 2016, but the day before was rushed to Mount Sinai Beth Israel with a cardiac issue and did not leave the hospital for three months. While there, he wound up having having open-heart, triple-bypass and valve-replacement surgery, and spent time in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
During Balin’s time in the ICU, he required a tracheotomy, which he claims was performed improperly, resulting in the loss of half of his tongue and use of his vocal chords. He also alleges his IV was incorrectly inserted and improperly monitored, resulting in his left hand being paralyzed and his thumb on that hand requiring amputation. He also got bedsores and now requires dialysis after his kidneys were damaged during his stay.
Balin’s lawyer, David Jaroslawicz, told the Post the hospital branch was apparently in the middle of closing, and lacked the specialists and resources to care for patients with Balin’s serious needs. “It was a horror show,” Jaroslawicz said.
Balin’s lawsuit notes he “had become totally disabled and has never recovered properly.” Mount Sinai Beth Israel has not responded to the suit.