Daniel E. Holloway
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Grady Memorial Hospital complaint alleges inconsistent monitoring and delayed CT before patient’s fall and brain injury

The amended complaint alleges that Grady Memorial Hospital staff did not consistently monitor a head-trauma patient after his early morning arrival on September 7, 2020. Staff did not timely perform his ordered CT brain scan. Staff recorded no vital signs between 2:12 and about 3:46 a.m., then found him on the trauma-room floor with worsened consciousness. He was emergently intubated and underwent a decompressive craniotomy. He remained hospitalized until March 31, 2021. The amended complaint alleges his complications and permanent brain damage resulted from the delay and fall.

System
Grady Health System
Facility
Grady Memorial Hospital
Providers involved
Nicole Battaglioli, MD / Jordan Leumas, MD / Jeroson Church Williams, MD / Keneeshia Williams, MD / Emily Catherine Fuson Horowitz, RN / Jessica Menke, RN / Kelley Navaja, RN / Gloria Udoudah, RN / Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation d/b/a Grady Health System / Emory University
Pattern
Alleged failure to adequately monitor and timely obtain ordered CT imaging for a head-trauma patient before he fell in the trauma room
Harm
Alleged second head injury, brain surgery, and permanent disability

Overview

This page concerns a public complaint alleging that hospital staff did not consistently monitor or timely image a head-trauma patient. He fell in the trauma room and suffered permanent brain damage.

Chronology

The complaint alleges as follows:

  1. The patient arrived at Grady Memorial Hospital by ambulance around 1:49 a.m. on September 7, 2020, after a fall. He had a history of a prior craniotomy and was on blood-thinning medication.
  2. At 2:12 a.m. physicians examined him, noted a forehead hematoma, and ordered a CT scan of his brain, cervical spine, and face.
  3. No further vital-sign checks were recorded from 2:12 a.m. until staff found him on the trauma-room floor around 3:46 a.m.
  4. When he was found, his Glasgow Coma Scale score had dropped to 6, and the ordered CT scan had not yet been performed.
  5. He was emergently intubated and taken to surgery for a decompressive craniotomy, and his first CT scan began at 4:02 a.m.
  6. He remained hospitalized at Grady from September 7, 2020 until March 31, 2021 and is now permanently bedridden and largely unable to speak.
  7. The patient’s wife was unable to visit him in person for more than two weeks and was not told of the fall until October 2020.

Alleged failures

The complaint alleges the following failures:

  • Nurses did not adequately monitor the patient between his arrival and his fall. The notes do not show anyone advocating for the ordered CT scan.
  • Physicians did not order the CT scan on a STAT basis despite his head-trauma history and his use of aspirin and Plavix.
  • Hospital and university staff did not conduct a fall-risk assessment or put safety measures in place despite his altered mental state.
  • The filing alleges this delay and the fall caused a second head injury, a multicompartmental hemorrhage, and permanent brain damage.
  • The complaint pleads medical malpractice, respondeat superior, ordinary negligence, loss of consortium, and attorney’s fees and litigation expenses under O.C.G.A. § 13-6-11. It attaches expert affidavits under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1.

Entities and tags

Grady Memorial HospitalGrady Health SystemEmory UniversityNicole Battaglioli, MDJeroson Church Williams, MDDecompressive craniotomyTraumatic brain injuryFulton CountyFailure to monitorDelayed or missed diagnosisFallsEmergency department careBrain or spine injuryEmergency medicineTrauma careNursing careNeurosurgery