On May 28 the jury returned a defense verdict for a surgeon and his employer, the Habersham Medical Center, after an eight day medical malpractice case in Habersham County. The defendants were represented by Wade Copeland Copeland, Stair, Valz & Lovell. The defendant surgeon had performed an excision and drainage of an inflamed cyst behind the shoulder of a 48 year old man.  The cyst was excised 19 days later.  Within two days of the excision, the plaintiff developed toxic shock syndrome which caused gangrene requiring the amputation of both legs below the knees.  The plaintiff claimed over a million dollars in past and future medical expenses and lost wages. Each side presented four expert witnesses.  One of the plaintiffs’ experts is the head of Infectious Disease at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. In closing, the plaintiffs asked the jury for $12 million dollars.  The jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendants after one hour of deliberation.