Defense Verdict in D.C. for Frederick Sewards

Frederick Sewards participated in the defense of an anesthesiologist in a medical malpractice wrongful death lawsuit that went to trial in the Superior Court of Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, February 13, 2018.  The case involved allegations that the Defendant anesthesiologist negligently performed anesthesia services during hip surgery.  During the procedure or thereafter in the intensive care unit, the patient aspirated gastric contents into his airway and lungs resulting in extensive medical treatment and hospitalization.  The Plaintiffs argued that this anesthesiology complication caused the patient to reside in a nursing home and required repeated hospitalizations until the time of his death several years later.

The Defendants presented highly qualified expert witnesses in anesthesiology and critical care medicine to demonstrate that the Defendant anesthesiologist utilized appropriate clinical judgment in the performance of anesthesiology services and that the patient suffered a known risk and complication.

The eight member jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the Defendant anesthesiologist on Friday, February 23, 2018 concluding that the anesthesiologist had complied with the standard of care.