ATLANTA – December 18, 2023 – Bell Law Firm confirms the filing of a medical malpractice lawsuit in DeKalb County on behalf of Brenda and Thomas Mainor against Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Dr. Michael Greenwald, and Gabriel Ribeiro de Matos Silveira. The case arises from healthcare negligently provided to the Mainors’ 15-year-old daughter, resulting in her wrongful death.
In June 2021, Sequoyah Mainor was admitted to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, presenting with severe constipation – having not had a bowel movement in three weeks. At the time of her initial exam, her abdomen was distended, firm, and round – all signs of possible bowel obstruction. During her three-hour stay in the ER that day, Sequoyah received care from Dr. Greenwald and Nurse Ribeiro, among others. Throughout her visit, the two healthcare professionals attempted to alleviate Sequoyah’s constipation with an enema and digital disimpaction, both unsuccessful. Also, during that time, Sequoyah’s heart rate rose from 122 to 136, her pain rose from a 2 to a 10, and she became unable to walk on her own. In short, while in the hospital’s care, she deteriorated.
At that point, Dr. Greenwald declared hospital discharge was the “only option left” for Sequoyah. She was sent home with directions to take an aggressive MiraLAX regimen and visit a pediatrician or gastroenterologist within two weeks.
The next day, Sequoyah’s condition worsened. She started vomiting blood, complaining of intensified pain, and experiencing difficulty breathing or speaking. A mere 46 hours after the premature discharge, she returned to the emergency room.
Once back in the ER, she was taken immediately to an operating room for a decompression via laparotomy. The two surgeons new to the case – Dr. Clifton and Dr. Fay – recognized Sequoyah was suffering from abdominal compartment syndrome and appeared profoundly septic. In surgery, they found bleeding in the abdomen, ischemic bowel, perforated bowel, fecal contamination, and tremendous distention. Her bowel obstruction, which remained untreated by Dr. Greenwald, progressed to an acute life-threatening abdominal process requiring emergency surgery.
Sequoyah suffered cardiac arrest after the manual disimpaction surgery, caused by the release of potassium and lactate from her dead bowel tissue. After rigorous resuscitation attempts, she ultimately passed away just shy of her 16th birthday.
“There’s a lot of negligence to contend with in this case,” states Lloyd Bell, Founding Partner of Bell Law Firm. “First, there’s the premature closure of Sequoyah’s ER case. Dr. Greenwald failed to escalate her care when initial interventions failed. Despite her deteriorating condition, he sent her home and claimed it was the only option left, but that’s not true. He could have requested further imaging, consultation, and surgical interventions but instead dismissed her. Dr. Greenwald’s negligence and the nurses’ failure to advocate for better care ultimately cost this young girl her life.”
Bell Law Firm intends to pursue the justice Brenda and Thomas Mainor deserve after the untimely death of their daughter. Sequoyah’s healthcare providers – those charged with her well-being – let her down in the most severe way, and it’s Bell Law Firm’s mission to ensure no other patients endure this level of care. To review the complete filling, click here. For more information about Bell Law Firm’s medical malpractice and wrongful death experience, visit www.belllawfirm.com/results.
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About Bell Law Firm
Bell Law Firm is Georgia’s leading medical malpractice and catastrophic injury firm. Founded in 1999 by Lloyd Bell, the firm has recovered hundreds of millions for clients and families impacted by medical negligence, including a record $75M verdict, the largest in Georgia history. The firm also achieved a record-breaking $26M verdict against a Columbus hospital and a $15M verdict against the largest healthcare provider in Georgia. In addition to delivering record verdicts, Bell Law Firm was awarded “Personal Injury Litigation Team of the Year” and “Most Innovative Law Firm” by The Daily Report. Lloyd is also the only Georgia attorney in the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only group of 100 leading trial attorneys in the United States. For more information, visit www.belllawfirm.com or listen to Lloyd’s podcast, “Face the Jury.”