Jodi V. Terranova

Jodi Terranova (Partner-Washington, DC), Nathan Lefko (Associate-Washington, DC), and Stuart Davis (Associate-Washington, DC) secured a defense verdict in a medical malpractice case in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court, Maryland, following a two-week-long trial. The case involved allegations of negligence against Wilson Elser’s gastroenterologist client arising from a colonoscopy that was complicated by a perforation, which was identified in the PACU following the procedure. The plaintiff alleged the perforation resulted from excessive use of CO₂ (barotrauma) during the procedure, and sought damages for a subsequent ileocecectomy, ongoing gastrointestinal symptoms, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium (along with his wife), and past medical bills. Jodi, Nate, and Stuart demonstrated that the physician encountered a tortuous colon with extensive diverticula immediately upon entering the colon and relied primarily on water infusion, with continuous suctioning throughout the procedure, rather than excessive CO₂. The team further established that the perforation was consistent with a shearing injury due to the tortuous colon, supported by pathology findings showing microscopic adhesions and a bowel-on-bowel connection. After just 30 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the client.

Jodi Terranova (Partner-Washington, DC), co-chair of Wilson Elser’s Medical Malpractice & Health Care Practice, Callyson Grove (Partner-Washington, DC) and Giovanna Bonafede (Associate-McLean, VA) obtained a unanimous defense verdict in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria on behalf of a general surgeon and his employer, a medical group practice. The plaintiff alleged that our client breached the standard of care in performing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy by failing to perform other surgical techniques when he was unable to identify anatomy, resulting in a transected common hepatic duct. Jodi, Callyson and Giovanna successfully argued that the plaintiff had distorted anatomy at the time of surgery due to inflammation and a rare genetic anomaly, causing the common hepatic duct to be in front of the infundibulum of the gallbladder, making the injury unavoidable. After a five-day trial and ten hours of deliberation, the jury of eight returned a unanimous verdict in favor of our client surgeon and his employer.

Jodi V. Terranova (Partner-Washington, DC), Robert Goodson (Senior Counsel-Washington, DC), and Justin St. Louis (Associate-Washington, DC) prevailed in the D.C. Court of Appeals, with the court affirming the trial court's rulings denying the plaintiff's motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, following a defense verdict Bert obtained for Wilson Elser's client, a gastroenterologist, and his practice. The plaintiff's appeal sought reversal on the grounds that the verdict sheet improperly included the phrase "proximate cause," including a question regarding proximate cause on the informed consent claim, and improperly included questions about contributory negligence. Jodi successfully argued before the three-judge panel, and Justin wrote the appellee brief, assisted by Bert. The case involved allegations of medical malpractice, lack of informed consent, and wrongful death following a colonoscopy for failure ensure the decedent resumed his anticoagulation medication, leading to a deep vein thrombosis, amputation and death. Jodi is the co-chair of Wilson Elser's Medical Malpractice & Health Care Practice.