The family of a 25-year-old man who died during a sleep study at Emory Healthcare has been awarded $20.5 million in a wrongful death case, an Atlanta law firm said Tuesday.
Brandon Maurice Harris, a medical assistant, entered the Emory sleep center on Jan. 22, 2010, and was dead by the following morning, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.
His family said Harris was neglected despite attempting to get the attention of a staff member. Emory previously said that Harris died of sudden cardiac arrest and the hospital attended to him appropriately.
On Friday, a jury deliberated four hours before rendering a verdict, The Cochran Firm said in an emailed statement.
The jury rendered a verdict for the plaintiff of $10,009,284.40 to Harris’ estate for pain and suffering and $10,500,000 for the full value of his life for a total of $20,509,284.40.
“This verdict sends a clear message about the value of Brandon’s life,” attorney Shean Williams said. “It also establishes the standard of how a DeKalb County jury believes a sleep lab should safely operate.”
After Harris died, the DeKalb Medical Examiner’s Office conducted its own investigation and concluded there was no reason for its office to pursue further investigation. The Medical Examiner concluded that Harris had a medical history that could explain a sudden death.
Harris’ mother, Renee “Sunshine” Lewis, later filed a wrongful death suit in DeKalb County State Court.
Emory released a statement Tuesday, saying, “Since January 2010, the Emory community has shared in the loss of Brandon Harris. The case remains in litigation at this time, so we cannot comment further.”
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