In 2008, Gwen Brown underwent an elective procedure in Georgia whereby she was receiving injections of steroids at the direction of her doctor, Dr. Dennis Doherty, at the Southeastern Pain Ambulatory Surgery Center when it was indicated by monitors that her breathing was improper. It would be noted by lawyers for the Plaintiff and in Court documents that Ms. Brown was deprived severely of oxygen for as many as ten (10) minutes, that her blood pressure had dramatically dropped and that there was not a detection of any pulse. Regardless of the situation, Dr. Doherty did not discontinue the procedure.
Furthermore, it was noted by the former nurse who was the chief nurse at the time and also later a codefendant in the lawsuit, Mary Hardwick, that Dr. Doherty was late for the procedure and that this was common for him as well as his frequent impaired appearance along with other behavioral and patient safety issues. Nevertheless and given the grave conditions at hand, 911 was not called for over an hour. Later, Ms. Brown would then be transferred to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Georgia. Despite the conditions in which Ms. Brown was admitted to St. Josephs, Dr. Doherty failed to tell anybody at St. Josephs that Ms. Brown had been without oxygen for many minutes.
Following the incident, Ms. Brown was not able to communicate or move except for blinking her eyes “no” or “yes”. Ms. Brown’s condition persisted in this state for exactly six (6) years when she then died at the age of sixty (60) years old. The trial in this case would be held in Fulton County, Georgia by a jury and would take place in two (2) phases.
In the first phase, the jury awarded Mr. Sterling Brown, Ms. Brown’s husband and executor of her estate, $ 21.9 million dollars in damages. Liability in phase one of the trial was apportioned as follows: 1.) 50% of the liability was attributed to Dr. Doherty; 2.) 30% of the liability was attributed to the surgery center; and 3.) The remaining 20% of the liability was attributed to Southeastern Pain Specialists, Dr. Doherty’s employer at the time that Ms. Brown was injured. Nurse Hardwick was not found liable in the incident.
I will continue to discuss this case in my next blog post titled, “A Medical Malpractice Jury Trial in Georgia Allegedly Riddled with Errors Returns a Verdict of almost $ 22 Million Dollars for the Plaintiff, No Punitive Damages in the Case Despite Evidence to the Contrary, and a Vow from Defense Counsel that there Will Be an Appeal [A VIDEO Link is Included Hereinbelow] ~ part two.”
If you or a loved one has been injured or tragically killed in a Medical Malpractice Incident, then do not hestitate to Contact Us as soon as possible so that we may assist you in evaluating your case. All of our initial legal consultations are Free of Charge. We want you to receive the most amount of compensation that you deserve and that you are entitled to under the circumstances.
The following is a link to a video pertaining to this case that is the Courtesy of Courtroom View Network:
VIDEO: In $22M Wrongful Death MedMal Suit, Attorney Says Doctor “Did Not Have a Grip on Reality”
(Courtesy of Courtroom View Network)