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Chad McGowan and Johnny Felder, partners at McGowan, Hoof, & Felder, LLC, secured a $13.75 million verdict against Aiken Regional Medical Centers. The verdict was awarded on behalf of Seletha Gartrell, who lost three of her limbs after Emergency Room doctors and nurses failed to identify and treat Mrs. Gartrell’s sepsis in a timely manner.On December 6, 2012, Mrs. Seletha Gartrell was admitted to the emergency room of Aiken Regional Medical Centers, in Aiken, South Carolina, at 9:34 a.m. She presented with a rapid respiratory rate, a high heart rate, a low oxygen level and a temperature of 101.3 degrees. Despite exhibiting such severe symptoms, Mrs. Gartrell was not given any antibiotics until 14 hours after she was admitted to the E.R. At slightly after midnight on December 7, 2012, Mrs. Gartrell went into cardiac arrest, and was a Code Blue. The Aiken Regional Medical Centers staff was able to restore her pulse, but she began to show signs of ischemia (inadequate blood supply to the tissues) and mottling (patchy blue or purple coloring) within days.
Mottling is often an indication of tissue necrosis, or tissue death. Mr. McGowan and Mr. Felder contend that this was caused by the medications she was prescribed, Levophed and Vasopressin, which can constrict blood vessels and cut off the flow of blood to the limbs. The lawsuit states that the staff “did not follow the doctors’ orders for administering the vasopressor drugs, did not administer the drugs in the proper amounts and doses and did not follow hospital policy and procedure.”
As a result, Mrs. Gartrell was forced to have both of her legs amputated below the knee. She also lost her left arm below the elbow, as well as fingers on her right hand.
The Aiken County jury found for Seletha Gartrell, awarding her $10 million in economic damages, and $3.75 million in non-economic damages. The verdict form, as reported by the Aiken Standard, says the jury found "clear and convincing evidence that the Defendant, Aiken Regional Medical Centers, was reckless, willful or wanton in their conduct."
This act of medical malpractice led to permanent disfigurement and disability on behalf of Mrs. Gartrell. McGowan, Hood & Felder, LLC is proud to have represented Mrs. Gartrell, and to have achieved justice for her.
McGowan, Hood & Felder, LLC is a premier law firm with offices throughout South Carolina and North Carolina. The attorneys primarily focus their practices on:
• Medical malpractice
• Defective drug and medical products litigation
• Tractor trailer crashes
• Mass torts
• Auto accidents
• Personal injury
Contact Info:
Name: Chad McGowan
Email: Send Email
Organization: McGowan, Hood & Felder, LLC
Address: 1539 Health Care Dr, Rock Hill, SC 29732
Phone: (803) 327-7800
Website: https://www.mcgowanhood.com
Release ID: 175466