Michele Atkins and Joe Gardner received a unanimous defense verdict for an emergency medicine Physician Assistant alleged to have been negligent in the evaluation of a patient who presented to the emergency department to be screened prior to entering an outpatient alcohol detoxification program. While in detox, the Plaintiff had an alcohol withdrawal seizure. He fell and hit his head, causing a subdural hematoma that led to a traumatic brain injury that required emergent surgery and several follow-up operations. A unanimous jury rejected the Plaintiff’s contention that the Physician Assistant improperly discharged the patient from the emergency department so that he could undergo outpatient detoxification.
SEATTLE
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TACOMA
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1301 A Street, Suite 900
Tacoma, WA 98402