Carrigan v. Bell-Willis

Case Background

David Carrigan’s estate filed this medical malpractice lawsuit against Dr. Andrea Bell-Willis for her alleged negligence in failing to diagnose the pericardial infection, which led to Carrigan’s death. The case was filed in the Montgomery County Court, Clarksville, Tennessee, with Judge Adrienne Fry presiding. [Case number: 15-1610]

Cause

David Carrigan, a 35-year-old computer programmer studying to be an actuary, felt unwell on June 7, 2014. He visited American Family Care’s urgent care center and was seen by Dr. Andrea Bell-Willis for chest pain radiating into his throat and sternum. His blood pressure and pulse were both elevated.

Dr. Bell-Willis diagnosed Carrigan with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and prescribed pain medications. She advised him to follow up if his condition worsened. Evidence later showed that although Carrigan experienced some pain relief, his symptoms worsened.

Carrigan, who was living with his father, Dr. Vernon Carrigan, an internal medicine physician in Clarksville, was last seen on the evening of June 8, 2014, when he went to bed. The next morning, his father found him deceased. Rigor mortis had already set in, indicating Carrigan had died several hours before being discovered. It was estimated that about 60 hours had passed between his visit to the urgent care center and his death.

Injury

Carrigan developed a bacterial pericarditis infection in his heart. This caused a sudden and fatal cardiac event when the purulent fluid in the pericardial cavity reached a critical level.

Damages

The Carrigan estate sought damages in several categories, including economic loss, which covered the pecuniary value of Carrigan’s life. The estate also sought compensation for pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and familial consortium.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal Representation

  • Plaintiff(s): Estate of David Carrigan
    • Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Mart G. Fendley | Jacob W. Fendley
    • Experts for Plaintiff(s): Charles Baum | Dr. David Boles | Dr. Christopher McClure
  • Defendant(s): Dr. Andrea Bell-Willis

Claims

The Carrigan estate filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Dr. Bell-Willis, claiming she was negligent in failing to diagnose the pericardial infection. The estate argued that, given Carrigan’s symptoms, Dr. Bell-Willis had a duty to rule out a cardiac cause. This could have been done through an enzyme test, EKG, or chest X-ray.

Defense

Bell-Willis denied medical malpractice allegations and presented several defenses. First, she argued that Carrigan’s condition worsened after the urgent care visit, and he failed to seek further treatment. His father, a physician, also did not encourage him to seek additional care. Another issue was the timing of the pericardial infection. Bell-Willis questioned whether the infection started four or five days before Carrigan’s death, or much later. She contended that it was impossible to determine the exact onset of the infection.

Additionally, Bell-Willis defended her treatment by presenting evidence that Carrigan showed classic symptoms of GERD. She pointed out that his actual pericarditis was exceptionally rare, occurring in just 1 in 80,000 cases. Therefore, she argued that there was no deviation from the standard of care in failing to diagnose the condition.

Expert Testimony

The estate’s experts, Dr. David Boles and Dr. Christopher McClure, family practice physicians in Clarksville, emphasized that while the life-threatening infection was rare, Bell-Willis missed a critical opportunity to diagnose and treat it early. Charles Baum, an economist for the estate, estimated Carrigan’s lost earnings between $1.98 million and $4.3 million, depending on Carrigan’s educational outcomes. The plaintiff also sought damages for pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and familial consortium. The defense experts included Dr. Brian McMurray, a family practice physician from Franklin, TN, Dr. John Hunsaker, a pathologist, Dr. Bennett Rudorfer, a cardiologist, and Glen Farr, a toxicologist.

Jury Verdict

The case was tried over ten days. On April 26, 2024, the jury ultimately returned a verdict, finding that Bell-Willis had not violated the standard of care for a family in an urgent care setting in Clarksville during 2013. As a result, the jury did not address the decedent’s duties, apportionment, or damages. A defense judgment was entered, and the case was closed.

Court Documents:

Available for purchase upon request