Sen. Rand Paul has part of lung removed from 2017 neighbor attack

Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Sen. Rand Paul announced Monday he had surgery in Tennessee over the weekend to have part of his lung removed as a result of an attack by his neighbor.

The Republican senator sustained six broken ribs and bruised lungs in November 2017 after his neighbor assaulted him while he mowed the front yard of his Bowling Green, Ky., home.

"Unfortunately, I will have to limit my August activities. Part of my lung damaged by the 2017 assault had to be removed by surgery this weekend. The doctors, nurses, & staff at Vanderbilt University Medical Center were great. I should be able to return to the Senate in September," Paul said in a tweet Monday.

A federal judge sentenced Rene Boucher to 30 days in prison, a year of probation, 100 hours of community service and a $10,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to assaulting a member of Congress. Federal prosecutors asked for a 21-month prison sentence and said they planned to appeal the ruling.

In January, a Kentucky jury awarded Paul more than $580,000 in damages and medical expenses for the assault.