Serenity K. Butler By Next Friend Jennifer Wilson v. Krowicki, Et Al

  • Court: Georgia State, Franklin County, Superior Court
  • Case number: 19FV0426W
  • Filed: November 4, 2019
  • Judge: Harvey Wasserman
  • Case type: Medical Malpractice Tort

Parties Involved

  • Plaintiff: Serenity Butler by Next Friend Jennifer Wilson
    • Counsel for Plaintiff: Dennis T. Cathey | T. Andrew Dowdy
  • Defendant: St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital, Inc | John Anthony Krowicki, MD | Walton-Gwinnett Medical Associates, P.C. | Morgan Clifton Wood, MD | Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Georgia, P.C.
    • Counsel for Defendant: Matthew S. Coles, Esq. | L. Evan Cline, Esq.

Verdict Information

  • Verdict date: May 17, 2024
  • Total damages awarded to the Plaintiff: $10,000,000.00

About the Case

Cause

St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital, Inc., located at 367 Clear Creek Parkway, Lavonia, Georgia, provided emergency and other medical services in Franklin County. Jeffrey English served as the registered agent.

Defendant Morgan Clifton Wood, a physician licensed in Georgia since November 2017, resided at 123 Natt Maddox Road, Toccoa, Georgia. He, along with Dr. John Anthony Krowicki, belonged to Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Georgia P.C., making Sound Physicians liable for their negligence.

Plaintiff Serenity Karmari Butler, daughter and sole heir of Kareem Butler, filed a wrongful death suit. Kareem Butler, who died intestate on November 5, 2017, in Franklin County, had sought emergency care at St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital with chest pain and high blood pressure. During this visit, he suffered a fatal cardiac event.

This was Butler’s third emergency room visit in two months, each time with coronary symptoms.

Kareem Butler first visited the emergency room at St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital on September 10, 2017, under Dr. John Anthony Krowicki’s care. He complained of coronary symptoms, including left-sided chest pain, pain radiating down his left arm, and elevated blood pressure. Despite these symptoms, they discharged him with a diagnosis of “acute, non-cardiac chest pain.”

On October 8, 2017, Kareem Butler returned to the emergency room at St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital. He experienced chest pain, tightness in his left chest, and elevated blood pressure. Despite these classic cardiac symptoms, they discharged him with a diagnosis of GERD.

On November 5, 2017, Kareem Butler returned to the emergency room at St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital, again complaining of chest pain. The hospital and doctors failed to provide necessary care each time, violating Georgia law’s required standard for medical professionals.

Injury

The defendants’ negligence directly caused Kareem Butler to suffer a fatal cardiac event. Before his death, he experienced physical and mental pain due to their negligence. As a result of his wrongful death, his family had also incurred funeral expenses.

Damages

Kareem Butler’s death resulted directly from the defendants’ negligence, entitling Plaintiff Serenity Karmari Butler to a verdict for the full value of her father’s life and any additional damages under Georgia law. Therefore, she requested that each defendant be served with process and that she recover all permitted damages, determined by a fair and impartial jury, exceeding Ten Thousand Dollars. She also sought a jury trial on all issues and any other relief she might be entitled to receive.

Jury Verdict

On May 17, 2024, a Georgia jury composed of seven women and two men gave the verdict in favor of the Plaintiff. The wrongful death lawsuit culminated in a $10 million award.

Court Documents:

Available upon request

News Article:

Small Venue, Big Outcome: ‘Conservative’ Rural Jury Returns $10M Verdict After Father’s Wrongful Death