. >> jeremy payne is describing spinal surgery his 46-year-old mother regina bruce had in 2008 after she had been rear ended in a car accident. at the same hospital, dawn bell's father, thomas cox, went in for a spinal fusion. during the procedure, dawn told us the surgeon had a problem. >> during the surgery, he got sick. >> who got sick? >> the doctor. >> were you and your mom looking at each other like what is going on here? >> yes. we're like this -- are you serious? >> both operations were conducted by an orthopedic surgeon. the surgeries left jeremy payne's mother with her left leg paralyzed and dawne's father with nerve damage. >> he proceeded to have probably seven more surgeries trying to correct the nerve damage. >> what is your feeling as your mom and your dad aren't quite right after surgery? >> you're second guessing what's just happened. >> thomas cox and regina bruce both reached medical malpractice settlements with the doctor. both turned to opioids to manage their pain and later died. >> it's pretty bad that people can get away with what they have in these situations

his 46-year-old mother regina bruce had in 2008, after she'd been rear-ended in a sccar accident. hospital his father in to a spinal procedure. telling us the surge hadn't a problem. >> during the surgery he got sick. >> reporter: who got sick? >> the doctor. >> reporter: were you looking at each other, what it's going on >> we're like, yes. are you serious? >> reporter: both operations contacted by an orthopedic surgeon and the surgeries left jeremy payne's mother with her left leg paralyzed and his father with nerve damage. >> proceeded probably to have seven more surgeries trying to correct the nerve damage. >> reporter: what is your feeling as your mom and your dad aren't quite right after surgery? >> you're second-guessing what's just happened. >> reporter: thomas cox and regina bruce both reached medical malpractice settlements with the doctor and neither fully recovered. both turned to opioids to manage pain and later died. >> the pretty bad people can get away with what they have in these situations. >> reporter: people? >> doctors. >> reporter: doctors are licensed by sta