A Fatal Catheter Error Killed an Athens Musician. A $4.36 Million Verdict Followed.

Juan Molina was 58 years old when he checked into St. Mary's Hospital in Athens, Georgia on August 25, 2017 for a routine diagnostic cardiac catheterization. The procedure was meant to evaluate his heart, not treat it. He died before he left the hospital.

During a left ventricular chamber angiogram, Dr. Subodh Agrawal of Athens Heart Center advanced a multipurpose catheter into the wall of Molina's left ventricle rather than into the chamber itself, then injected radiocontrast dye directly into the muscle tissue. The injection tore through the ventricular wall, causing a perforation. According to the plaintiff's attorney, Steve Lowry, Agrawal failed to recognize the severity of what had happened and did not take corrective action while time remained to do so. Molina died from the injury.

Molina was a fixture in the Athens community. He co-owned Broad Street Coffee and Echo, two local restaurants, and played in several well-known local bands including The Squalls, Little Tigers, Time Toy, and Go Van Go. His family filed suit in 2019 in Clarke County State Court (Case No. ST19CV0336). The case went to trial in February 2023 before Judge Charles Auslander.

Stephen Lowry of Harris Lowry Manton LLP served as lead trial counsel, joined by co-counsel James Carter and, on appeal-related matters, Jed Manton. The firm argued that Dr. Agrawal's catheter placement violated the standard of care and that his failure to respond decisively after the perforation was a separate, compounding error. The defense contested liability.

After six days of testimony and roughly 16 hours of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of $4,363,000: $3.8 million for the value of Molina's life, $500,000 for pain and suffering, and $63,000 for medical and funeral expenses. Athens Heart Center subsequently challenged the trial court's requirement that it post a supersedeas bond of more than $4.6 million while a motion for new trial remained pending. The Georgia Court of Appeals dismissed that appeal on November 17, 2023 for lack of jurisdiction, leaving the verdict intact.