February 19, 2026

ATLANTA – Partner Alphonsie Nelson and Associates Alexis Jones and David Schlosser secured a decisive defense verdict in a medical malpractice suit where the Plaintiff sought $1.5 million in damages. Following a full trial, the jury returned a verdict of $0, completely exonerating the defense.

Overview of the Case

The action arose from treatment provided for foot pain that subsequently progressed to a partial foot amputation. The Plaintiffs alleged that the provider failed to properly diagnose and treat an underlying vascular condition, asserting that earlier intervention and additional testing would have prevented the ultimate outcome.

The action arose from treatment provided for foot pain that subsequently progressed to a partial foot amputation. The Plaintiffs alleged that QPWB’s client (a medical provider) failed to properly diagnose and treat an underlying vascular condition, asserting that earlier intervention and additional testing would have prevented the outcome. Specifically, the Plaintiffs contended that the provider's failure to investigate the patient's symptoms more aggressively led to a missed window for vascular intervention, resulting in the necessity of the surgical amputation.

Key Difference-Makers

• Alphonsie Nelson – Partner, Atlanta
• Alexis Jones – Associate, Atlanta
• David Schlosser – Associate, Atlanta

Administrative Support

• Kay Hopkins – Paralegal
• Karin Brown – Legal Assistant

Claims Made Against Our Client

The Plaintiffs asserted failures in diagnosis, investigation, referral, and treatment. Opposing counsel’s arguments relied heavily on hindsight bias and risk-factor analysis, suggesting that the severity of the eventual injury proved that the initial evaluation was negligent. They argued that despite normal clinical findings during the initial evaluation, the provider should have anticipated the later medical developments and performed more invasive testing.

The Plaintiffs further maintained that had the provider performed these additional tests or facilitated an earlier referral, the condition would have been identified in time to prevent the amputation.

Defense Strategy

The defense strategy intentionally centered the case on what was known and observed by the provider at the time of treatment. By focusing on objective, contemporaneous clinical findings and documented examinations, the team successfully separated the narrative from the later medical outcome.

The defense centered its presentation on accepted medical standards and causation principles. QPWB attorneys explicitly addressed the "logical leap" presented by the opposition, reframing the case for the jury to evaluate the care based on facts available at the time, rather than the "temporal sequence" of subsequent developments.

Impact on Final Outcome

The defense approach proved highly effective in correcting the flawed causation narrative. By clarifying the legal burden on causation and preventing hindsight bias, the team allowed the jury to conclude that a later medical development does not automatically establish prior negligence. This disciplined execution led directly to a complete defense verdict, eliminating the $1.5 million recovery sought by the Plaintiffs.

Unique Aspects of the Case

The most unique aspect of this case was the precise dismantling of the assumption that a later medical outcome must have been caused by earlier care. The defense reinforced that coincidence in timing is not proof of causation, effectively countering emotionally driven claims with substantive medical reasoning and evidence.

Predicting the Future

This verdict affirms QPWB’s ability to defend high-exposure medical malpractice cases by simplifying complex medical issues and maintaining disciplined trial execution. For future clients, it demonstrates a commitment to taking defensible cases to verdict and successfully countering narratives based on hindsight with logic and objective evidence.

Key Actions in This Case

• Narrative Reframing: Corrected the logical fallacy that a negative outcome implies negligent earlier care.
• Objective Evidence Focus: Centered the trial on documented clinical findings observed at the time of treatment.
• Causation Discipline: Successfully separated "temporal sequence" from "legal causation" to prevent hindsight bias.

About QPWB

Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. is one of the fastest growing law firms in the United States providing a different focus on what it means to provide responsive service to clients and team members. With a national presence of 55 offices and a comprehensive scope of over 130 practice areas, QPWB delivers legal representation in litigation, regulatory, and corporate matters to a diverse range of industries. This scope and rapid expansion has attracted unique legal talent from all different backgrounds and experiences which has made them the largest minority-owned law firm in the country.