A Georgia jury has awarded $52 million in damages to the family of Doris Jordan, a nurse, Army veteran and mother of three who died following a cosmetic surgery procedure, but attorneys say the family is unlikely to collect most of the judgment because the clinic was uninsured, court records show.
Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Jon W. Setzer on Dec. 9 ordered $16 million for pain and suffering and $36 million for wrongful death in what lawyers described as a catastrophic medical malpractice case stemming from Jordan’s December 2019 liposuction and Brazilian butt lift at the Sei Bello cosmetic surgery clinic in Lawrenceville.
Background
Jordan entered the cosmetic surgery clinic in late 2019 seeking liposuction and a Brazilian butt lift, a procedure that has become increasingly popular but carries significant risks if not properly performed. Brazilian butt lift, or BBL, involves transferring fat from one part of the body to the buttocks and has been linked to a higher mortality rate than many other cosmetic procedures, particularly when critical safety protocols are not followed. According to several medical studies, BBLs account for a disproportionate share of deaths among cosmetic surgeries in the U.S. due largely to fat entering the bloodstream and causing pulmonary fat embolism, along with complications related to anesthesia and patient monitoring. (Medical literature on BBL risk)
Court testimony in the Jordan case revealed that she suffered brain damage caused by lack of oxygen during the surgery after the clinic reportedly ran out of anesthesia, and staff later discovered that her oxygen tubing was not connected to any functioning oxygen source. Prosecutors also said 911 was not called for about 19 minutes after staff realized she had no pulse and was not breathing.
The following day, Jordan died from her injuries. Her family filed a wrongful death and medical malpractice suit, arguing the clinic’s failures before, during and after the operation were preventable and represented a profound breach of patient care.
Settlement Challenges and Industry Risks
Despite the large verdict, attorneys say the family may receive little or none of the award because Sei Bello did not carry malpractice insurance at the time of Jordan’s surgery. Georgia state records show the clinic was dissolved in 2020 after failing to maintain registrations and licensing requirements.
Jordan’s husband, James Jordan, told local news outlets that no amount of money can replace his wife. “I want my wife back,” he said. “The money doesn’t compensate for what she did for me and our family.”
The doctor involved in Jordan’s care reached a separate settlement with the family, according to court filings, and remains licensed to practice in Georgia. Efforts to reach representatives connected to the clinic or its former owner were not immediately successful.
