Medical Malpractice Attorney in Atlanta, Georgia
$3 Million Morphine Overdose Case
$3 Million Morphine Overdose Case
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The one that, it might not have been the biggest verdict, thank God, but it certainly was, it was rewarding because it was the, at the time the largest verdict in that small town. So this was in Douglas, Georgia, in Coffee County. And I represented an individual who had gone in for a case of pancreatitis and while he was in the hospital they put an IV in his hand, and they put it in wrong. And the material that they were infusing then came outside of his vein. It is called extravasating and it extravasated and caused an irritation in his hand. And despite the fact that he complained bitterly to the nurses and to the medical care providers no one did anything for several hours. And then finally, when it was finally taken out he ended up losing his thumb and part of his hand as a result of that.
And so we brought that claim, and a lot of people told me you’re just not going to get good money down in this small town. They don’t award damages very well down there. And I didn’t believe that. I didn’t want to, because I believe everyone should get justice if they’ve been injured regardless of whether they’re in Atlanta, or Marietta, or in South Georgia. And so I took that case and I took it to trial down in Coffee County, and my client was just a tremendous witness and things just really, really went well down there, including the defendants decided it would be a good idea to bring all the nurses from the hospital and sit them in the back of the courtroom during the trial.
And the jury really didn’t like that. They didn’t like the idea that someone was trying to influence their decision about the case, and so we got a $1.5 million verdict for this gentleman who lost his thumb, which was just a tremendous result, and really I think spoke volumes. And I have spoken about that case in other venues, that justice really shouldn’t be limited by the city that you live in, by the county that you live in, and the willingness of lawyers to take chances and try cases in these venues that have historically been thought of as not plaintiffs friendly. It’s something I’m a big advocate of.
Atlanta, GA personal injury attorney Laura M. Shamp talks about a medical malpractice case in which she won a $3 Million verdict in favor of her client. She explains that one particular case stands out to me, not necessarily because it yielded the largest verdict, but because it was incredibly rewarding. This case took place in Douglas, Georgia, a small town located in Coffee County. I represented an individual who had been admitted to the hospital for pancreatitis. During his stay, the medical staff mistakenly inserted an IV into his hand, causing the infused material to extravasate, resulting in severe irritation. Despite the patient’s persistent complaints to the nurses and medical care providers, no action was taken for several hours. Eventually, when the IV was finally removed, it was too late, and he ended up losing his thumb and part of his hand as a consequence.
When we brought this claim, many people expressed skepticism about the potential for substantial damages in such a small town. There was a prevailing belief that jury awards were not favorable in that area. However, I refused to accept that notion because I firmly believe that everyone deserves justice, regardless of their location—be it Atlanta, Marietta, or rural South Georgia. I took the case to trial in Coffee County, and it turned out to be a remarkable experience. My client presented himself as an exceptional witness, and everything seemed to go incredibly well, even with the defendants deciding to seat all the nurses from the hospital in the back of the courtroom during the trial.
The jury was not pleased with this apparent attempt to influence their decision, and it worked against the defendants. As a result, we obtained a remarkable $1.5 million verdict for the gentleman who lost his thumb. This outcome was not only a tremendous achievement financially but also spoke volumes about the importance of seeking justice regardless of the city or county in which you reside. It highlighted the significance of attorneys taking risks and trying cases even in venues that are traditionally perceived as unfavorable for plaintiffs. I am a staunch advocate for equal access to justice, irrespective of geographic constraints, and this case has reinforced my commitment to that cause.
