A DeKalb County jury has mandated Emory University Hospital to pay over $30 million in one of its highest medical malpractice case payouts.
The verdict stems from a 5-year civil case against Emory Healthcare Incorporated, where medical staff allegedly overlooked a critical scan that could have saved the life of a 20-year-old undergoing a heart transplant.
The jury awarded $38.6 million to the grieving mother, marking a significant moment of closure for her after six years of legal battles. Her son tragically passed away in 2017 during a heart transplant procedure. The lawsuit claimed that the medical team neglected to perform a chest CT scan, a crucial step due to the young man's history of congestive heart failure and a medical heart pump.
The boy had been living with a dormant virus that attacked and destroyed his heart, a condition discovered in 2016. The lawsuit contended that a pre-operative chest CT would have revealed a critical structure attached to the back of the chest. According to attorneys, experts from Harvard University reviewed the case and concluded that if the CT scan had been conducted, the young man might still be alive.
During the legal proceedings, the defendant's attorneys argued that using a chest CT was not a standard practice for them. Despite this, the substantial jury award highlights the gravity of the alleged oversight and its devastating consequences. The young boy lost two-thirds of his blood during the procedure, leading to a prolonged period on life support until his eventual passing on Christmas Day after six weeks.
