Twelve years after awakening in a hospital to discover that both of her legs had been amputated, former teacher Jessica Powell has received one of the largest medical malpractice settlements in Georgia’s history.
In March 2013, Powell—then a 28-year-old educator from Camilla—suffered a sudden collapse at her home following a stomach illness complicated by a hormone deficiency disorder. She was transported to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, where she was diagnosed with sepsis and placed in critical care. To stabilize her dangerously low blood pressure, doctors administered vasopressors intended to preserve vital organ function.
However, what was intended to save her life instead led to irreversible damage. According to court records, Powell was given vasopressin at two and a half times the recommended maximum dosage, and the excessive administration continued for over 40 hours. Given that vasopressin functions by constricting blood vessels, Powell’s legal team argued that the overdose caused a severe reduction in blood flow to her lower limbs, ultimately resulting in tissue death and the need for bilateral above-the-knee amputations.
Powell initiated legal proceedings shortly thereafter, and the litigation continued for more than a decade. On April 23, 2025, a jury in Dougherty County returned a unanimous verdict in just 30 minutes, awarding Powell $70 million in damages. Her attorneys interpreted the swift decision as a clear affirmation of the strength of her case.
“The speed and size of the verdict speak volumes,” said Matt Cook, one of Powell’s lead attorneys. “It was evident from the outset that Jessica’s treatment fell far below acceptable medical standards.”
Cook further commented that the outcome was influenced not only by the facts of the case but by what he described as the continued refusal of the defendants to acknowledge fault. “The defendants repeatedly denied responsibility, even in the face of compelling evidence,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The lawsuit named several medical professionals and institutions, including Doctors Joe Morgan, James Palazzolo, and Thomas Ungarino, as well as Albany Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates and Albany Vascular Specialist Center. Though each party denied liability, the jury ultimately allocated fault equally—half to Dr. Morgan and Albany Vascular, and the other half to Drs. Palazzolo and Ungarino, along with Albany Pulmonary.
Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, where the original treatment was rendered, had previously settled its portion of the claims and was not part of the trial.
Following the verdict, representatives for the physicians and associated medical groups maintained that the treatment provided was appropriate under extreme circumstances. They expressed disagreement with the jury’s conclusion, stating that the amputations, though tragic, were an unavoidable result of efforts to save Powell’s life.
However, Powell’s legal counsel argued that accountability was lacking. “Instead of acknowledging the error, they claimed the treatment was intentional,” said attorney Shane Lazenby. “That stance likely influenced the jury’s decision.”
Despite the challenges she has faced, Powell has continued to move forward with resilience and dignity, and her legal team praised her and her family for their strength throughout the ordeal.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
