In a recent decision by the Court of Appeals of Georgia, Thomas Lawhorne III and Optim Orthopedics, LLC appealed a $4.5 million jury verdict awarded to Amy E. Douglas in a medical malpractice case. The appeal was based on the trial court’s instruction to jurors that insurance benefits should not influence their deliberations on liability and damages. Lawhorne contended that this instruction was unwarranted as no evidence of insurance had been presented during the trial. However, the court upheld the original ruling, noting that comments made during voir dire and testimony about disability benefits justified the cautionary instruction. The judgment in favor of Douglas was affirmed.
Source: A24A0556_THOMAS_LAWHORNE_III_et_al_v_AMY_E_DOUGLAS_Opinion.pdf
