A woman whose husband died after being pulled into an MRI machine has now filed a lawsuit, alleging negligence by the medical facility and others involved, in what marks a significant development in a case that drew attention to the dangers of powerful medical imaging equipment. According to Newsday, Adrienne Jones-McAllister has filed suit in state Supreme Court in Nassau County over the death of her husband, Keith McAllister, 61, who died following an incident at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, New York, on 16 July 2025. The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount in damages and names multiple entities connected to the facility.
The lawsuit and allegations of negligence
Court papers filed Tuesday accuse the facility and associated companies of failing to take basic safety precautions. Adrienne Jones-McAllister alleges that staff did not instruct her husband to remove his “large metallic chain” before entering the MRI room and that the premises were unsafe. The lawsuit further claims the defendants were negligent and careless “by allowing unsafe conditions on the premises and failing to have or implement safety protocols.” She states that she has suffered “severe and serious personal, psychological and emotional injuries,” including effects described as “permanent effects of pain, disability, disfigurement and loss of body function.” The filing also describes the trauma of witnessing the incident, stating that she “witnessed and was totally aware through all of her senses of the injuries and suffering and eventual death of her husband.”
The 61-year-old was horrifically sucked into the MRI machine while wearing a necklace and suffered fatal injuries/ Image: Gofundme
The suit names Nassau Open MRI P.C.; East Coast Radiology P.C., which had a contract allowing the Westbury facility to use its MRI machine; Sun Enterprises, which leased the site; and GM Partners Westbury LLC, which owned the property. The case is being handled by attorney Andrew Finkelstein of Jacoby & Meyers, along with the Crump Law Office. Representatives for the companies named in the lawsuit did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to Newsday.
What happened on 16 July 2025
The incident occurred while Adrienne Jones-McAllister was undergoing an MRI scan of her knee. According to the lawsuit, her husband had accompanied her to the appointment. She has said previously that she asked whether he could enter the room to help her off the table once the scan was complete. However, the lawsuit states that he was “summoned” into the room by a technician while the machine was still operating. At the time, Keith McAllister was wearing a heavy metal chain around his neck, reportedly weighing around 20 pounds and used for weight training. As he entered the room, the MRI machine’s powerful magnetic field pulled him toward it. The Nassau County Police Department said at the time: “The male victim was wearing a large metallic chain around his neck causing him to be drawn into the machine, which resulted in a medical episode.” He was trapped against the machine, and according to a family fundraiser, remained attached “for almost an hour before they could release the chain from the machine.”
His final moments and medical response
Emergency responders arrived and transported him to hospital in critical condition. He suffered multiple heart attacks following the incident. Despite efforts to save him, he died the following day. His wife later recalled that he was able to “wave goodbye” to her before his death.
61-year-old Keith McAllister died after he was dragged into an MRI machine (GoFundMe)
The case has since been under investigation, with the circumstances of how he was allowed to enter the room while wearing metal forming a central question in the legal proceedings.
The risks of MRI machines and safety protocols
MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, machines rely on extremely strong magnetic fields to generate detailed images of the body. These fields can exert powerful forces on metal objects. According to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, the magnetic force is strong enough to act on “objects of iron, some steels, and other magnetizable objects” and can be “strong enough to fling a wheelchair across the room.” Because of this, strict safety protocols are standard. Patients and anyone entering the room are typically required to remove all metal items, including jewellery and accessories, before approaching the machine. Guidance from Columbia University Irving Medical Center similarly warns that metal objects can be pulled at high speed toward the scanner, posing serious risks of injury.
Family accounts and unanswered questions
In the aftermath of the incident, accounts from the family have pointed to possible lapses in communication. In a GoFundMe page set up to support the family, Adrienne’s daughter, Samantha Bodden, suggested that the technician had “forgot to inform” Keith McAllister to remove the chain. The lawsuit also notes that there had been prior conversation about the chain between McAllister and the technician, though details of that exchange have not been fully disclosed. It remains unclear how much the widow is seeking in damages. The case is expected to proceed through the courts, where questions around responsibility, safety protocols, and the sequence of events inside the MRI room will be examined in detail.
Leave a Reply