Fulton County jury finds medical negligence caused veteran’s injuries and death.
ATLANTA – Bell Law Firm has secured a $15 million jury verdict for the family of Byung “Ben” Oh, a 77-year-old retired U.S. Army veteran who died following complications from spine surgery in 2018.
The Fulton County State Court jury found that Dr. Amy Wyrzykowski and her employer, WellStar Medical Group, LLC were 67.5% at fault for Ben’s injuries and death, while Dr. Barry Jeffries and his employer, Diagnostic Imaging Specialists, were apportioned the remaining 32.5%. The jury awarded $13 million for the full value of Ben’s life and $2 million for his conscious pain and suffering.
“Ben entered the hospital with a back injury, but after surgery his condition continued to deteriorate as critical warning signs went unrecognized and his care was not properly coordinated,” said Lloyd Bell, lead trial attorney for the Oh family and founding partner of Bell Law Firm. “His family endured an unimaginable loss. This verdict holds the responsible providers accountable and recognizes the profound impact of what happened to Ben and his family.”
The case stemmed from Ben’s treatment after he fell from a ladder while working in his yard on April 30, 2018, fracturing a bone in his back. He was admitted to WellStar’s Atlanta Medical Center and underwent spine surgery on May 4.
Following the spine surgery, Ben developed a chyle leak, a type of lymphatic fluid. The family alleged that Dr. Jeffries improperly placed a suprapubic catheter outside Oh’s bladder, draining and worsening the chyle leak, which continued for 11 days as Ben’s providers documented 87 liters of chylous fluid drained from his body. The family further alleged that Dr. Wyrzykowski failed to adequately investigate the nature and cause of the ongoing fluid loss or ensure that it was being appropriately addressed as Ben’s condition deteriorated. Ben ultimately developed septic shock and multiorgan failure and died on July 21, 2018.
“After eight years, this verdict gives the Oh family a measure of accountability for what happened to Ben,” Bell said. “No verdict can undo their loss, but the jury’s decision makes clear that patients deserve coordinated, attentive care when their condition is deteriorating and that warning signs demand action.” Lloyd tried the case with co-counsel, Shuli Green, of Green Injury Law.
More information about the case can be found here. For more information about Bell Law Firm’s work representing victims of medical malpractice, visit belllawfirm.com.
About Bell Law Firm
Founded in 1999 by Lloyd Bell, Bell Law Firm represents clients and families in medical malpractice and catastrophic injury cases throughout Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients harmed by medical negligence, including a $75 million verdict, the largest in Georgia history; a $26 million verdict against a Columbus hospital; and a $15 million verdict against the largest healthcare provider in Georgia. Bell Law Firm has also been recognized by The Daily Report as “Personal Injury Litigation Team of the Year” and “Most Innovative Law Firm.” Lloyd Bell is the only Georgia attorney in the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only group of 100 leading plaintiff trial lawyers in the United States. For more information, visit www.belllawfirm.com or listen to Lloyd’s podcast, Face the Jury.
