Fields v. Taylor

Appeals Court Revives Lawsuit Against Doctor in Nursing Home Death

On January 23, 2017, the Georgia Court of Appeals revived a lawsuit against a doctor in a small-town nursing home over the treatment of a patient who died after developing an infection. The lawsuit was reopened based upon the deposition of medical expert Dr. John H. Fullerton who said Dr. Taylor had breached the standard of care in "numerous ways"- failing to set a proper wound care plan, respond to concerns or assess the patient's condition. See the complete release Appeals Court Revives Lawsuit Against Doctor in Nursing Home Death by Katheryn Hayes Tucker, also in our Press section.

Cheryl Fields, individually, and as the administrator of the estate of Laura Josey, William Josey, and Pamela Denney (collectively "Fields"), appealed the trial court's grant of summary judgment to William Taylor, Jr., Southeast Geriatrics, P.C., THI of Georgia at Shamrock, LLC, d/b/a Shamrock Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Judge Amanda Mercier agreed with Cheryl Fields, daughter of the late Laura Josey, that Laurens County Superior Court Judge Jon Helton was wrong to throw out the case. Mercier, joined by Presiding Judge John Ellington and Judge Elizabeth Branch, reversed Helton's grant of summary judgment to Dr. William Taylor Jr. of Southeast Geriatrics. Read here for a view of the complete case in the Court of Appeals in Georgia.