Lowndes and McLane Funeral Home

Thursday night, finding the business was at least partially at fault in the resident's death.The jury returned the decision against Lowndes County Health Services, d/b/a Heritage Healthcare at Holly Hill, at about 7 p.m. Thursday, according to court documents.Bobby Copeland, 71, died of a bowel obstruction, the symptoms of which developed while he was in the facility Oct. 25, 2012, said Caleb Connor, an attorney with the Augusta law firm Connor & Connor LLC, which represented Gregory Copeland, Bobby Copeland's son, and the elder Copeland's estate.When a licensed practical nurse asked a physician's assistant if Copeland could be sent to the emergency room, the PA said "no" and ordered tests instead, Connor said. Despite being seen by two registered nurses Oct. 26, he was not taken to the hospital until after the PA arrived later in the morning, he said.Copeland died of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) resulting from "aspiration of feculent material" 12 hours after arriving at the hospital, Connor said. The lawsuit, filed in 2014, claimed ordinary negligence and violation in the standard of care against Lowndes County Health Services, according to the jury verdict form.The jury awarded $7.5 million on a wrongful death claim and $121,200 on the estate's claim of pain, suffering, medical, funeral and/or burial expenses, court documents show. Connor said the plaintiffs wanted punitive damages awarded as well but the judge wouldn't allow it. Judge Ellen Golden presided, he said.The jury assigned 20 percent of the fault to Lowndes County Health Services, while 75 percent of the fault was assigned to three individuals and 5 percent to South Georgia Medical Center. Neither the individuals nor SGMC were parties in the lawsuit.Robert Anspach, a Toledo, Ohio, attorney who represented the defendants, said he was disappointed with the jury's verdict and an appeal will be launched."I personally believe the care provided to Bobby Copeland during his 12 years at Holly Hill was excellent," he said.Terry Richards is senior reporter... (Valdosta Daily Times)