Stalwart Law Group Lead Attorney Secures $28.7 Million Verdict for Paralyzed Los Angeles County Man in Medical Malpractice Case

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A Los Angeles jury awarded $28,724,350.29 in damages last week to a man who was left brain injured and paralyzed from a medical error during what should have been a routine procedure at Los Angeles Community Hospital.

Trial attorney Sean O'Neill, representing 56-year-old Antonio Leon alongside co-counsel, Will Collins delivered compelling evidence during the 2-week civil jury trial that shed light on the harrowing series of events that left their client bedbound and dependent on full-time nursing care.

Mr. Leon sought medical attention at Los Angeles Community Hospital's emergency department on April 24, 2018, after swallowing a fishbone. What should have been a straightforward procedure the following day to remove the foreign object turned into a nightmare due to a cascade of errors in judgment and practice by the Anesthesiologist.

While undergoing general anesthesia, anesthesiologist Dr. Georgia Bode encountered difficulties intubating Mr. Leon. Despite recognizing the risks of her inability to intubate and oxygenate Mr. Leon, Dr. Bode failed to use basic interventions to protect Mr. Leon, leading to a tragic sequence of events resulting in him suffering an anoxic brain injury from a lack of oxygen. Antonio was placed into a medically induced coma for several weeks and had multiple seizures and prophylactic brain cooling, according to the complaint. Mr. Leon woke up several weeks later with permanent paralysis and irreversible brain damage.

Shockingly, court transcripts revealed Dr. Bode testified that she felt compelled to choose between patient safety and engaging in a "fistfight" with her colleague in the operating room while the patient was paralyzed on the table and dependent on her for his safety.

"It's unfathomable that a medical professional would prioritize personal conflicts over patient safety," said Sean O'Neill. "This verdict underscores the need for accountability and reform in the medical community. "

At trial, Dr. Bode's legal team argued Dr. Bode did nothing wrong and asked the jury to award $0 to Mr. Leon.

The legal team representing Mr. Leon included Sean O'Neill, a partner at Stalwart Law Group, and William Collins, a partner at the Law Office of Marshall Silberberg. The case is Antonio Leon v. Georgia Bode M.D. Et al., 19ST-CV-01640.

SOURCE Stalwart Law Group