David Young and Kaila Dorish Obtained a Defense Verdict in a Medical Malpractice Case in Palm Beach County

David Young and Kaila Dorish obtained a defense verdict in a 15 day medical malpractice case tried in Palm Beach County. The Plaintiff alleged that the Defendant anesthesiologist and 2 CRNAs failed to properly monitor anesthesia and failed to keep the mean arterial pressure at an appropriate level during a 20-minute craniotomy surgery for subdural hematoma evacuation allegedly resulting in hypoxic brain injury and severe neurological deficit in a 78-year-old female. They took the position that the patient suffered prolonged hypotension during the craniotomy that prevented adequate cerebral perfusion. They alleged that the patient’s mean arterial pressure baseline during the procedure should have been in the 80s rather than the target range of 10% of baseline. The defense position was that Plaintiff’s theory of keeping the MAP at a level using a hypothetical intracranial pressure was not appropriate but, rather, keeping the MAP at 10% of baseline was appropriate. Further, the defense emphasized that the blood pressure was appropriate managed. The defense focused on the significant brain damage being the result of the massive hematoma and midline shift and the resulting intractable seizures rather than the hypothesized Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy.

Plaintiff put forth a life care plan of approximately $5 million and asked the jury for a total award for the Plaintiff and her elderly and admittedly demented husband of $88 million. Plaintiff had put out a “press release” the day prior to the jury selection asserting that the case was to be tried and would be “about accountability.” This case is a testament to the importance of trying cases where the medicine and care is defensible even in the face of aggressive press releases and nuclear verdict level damage requests by Plaintiff.