The trouble started after Bell hurt his hip during Week 2 of the 2024 season.David Bell No.18 of the Cleveland Browns warms up before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla., on Sept.
15, 2024.(Getty Images)According to the lawsuit filed in Philadelphia, doctors used misleading scan results to convince him he needed core muscle surgery, commonly known as a sports hernia repair, that he never actually required.The complaint claims this was part of a profit-driven pattern of pushing pro athletes into procedures they did not need.DOJ CHARGES 19 DEFENDANTS IN ALLEGED $4M PHILADELPHIA MEDICARE AND MEDICAID FRAUDDavid Bell #18 of the Cleveland Browns celebrates after catching a touchdown pass against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Jan.
7, 2024, in Cincinnati, Ohio.(Getty Images)Things went wrong on the operating table.
The lawsuit alleges that Dr.Meyers cut Bell's femoral artery, the main artery supplying blood to the leg, causing massive internal bleeding.The clinic was not equipped to handle that kind of emergency, so Bell was rushed by ambulance to Thomas Jefferson Hospital.
Doctors there performed urgent surgery to repair the artery and save his leg, but the ordeal left him with lasting physical damage.SUPREME COURT HANDS NFL A LOSS IN BRIAN FLORES DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT, CLEARING PATH TO TRIALBefore the injury, Bell was a reliable target in Cleveland's offense.The Browns drafted the former Big Ten Receiver of the Year out of Purdue in the third round back in 2022.CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APPOver three seasons, Bell appeared in 32 games, finishing his pro career with 41 catches for 408 yards and three touchdowns, highlighted by a 214-yard rookie season.Between the original injury and the surgical fallout, Bell could no longer play, leading Cleveland to place him on the reserve/retired list in 2025.David Bell #18 of the Cleveland Browns walks off the field after an NFL wild-card playoff game against t...