Jonny Bates Deposition | Defense Medical Expert Witness | Wilder v. Rockdale County

DEPOSITION OF JONNY BATES, M.D. Defense Expert Witness — Correctional Health Care Wilder v. Rockdale County, et al. U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia — Civil Action No. 1:13-cv-2715 Dr. Jonny Bates, a physician retained as an expert witness by the defense, is questioned about his opinions concerning the medical care provided to Albert Wilder while Mr. Wilder was incarcerated at the Rockdale County Jail in September 2012. His Rule 26 disclosure and his opinions on whether that care met the applicable standard of care are discussed throughout. Dr. Bates testifies that he is an internist by training and has worked in jail health care since at least 1992, including at correctional facilities in multiple states. A deposition is sworn testimony given before trial and recorded for use in litigation, taken as part of the discovery process. BACKGROUND The lawsuit was brought by Renee Wilder, individually and in connection with the Estate of Albert Wilder, following Mr. Wilder's death while incarcerated at the Rockdale County Jail. The litigation concerns the medical care and supervision provided to him during September 23–24, 2012. The Plaintiff alleged that Mr. Wilder developed severe abdominal symptoms at the jail and that his condition worsened without adequate medical treatment before his death. These are allegations only. Nothing here is a finding of fact or a determination of liability. IN MEMORY OF ALBERT WILDER Albert Wilder died on September 24, 2012. This recording is published with respect for him and for his family. TESTIMONY TOPICS Dr. Bates is questioned about his education, medical training, experience in internal medicine, and experience providing health care in jail and correctional settings. A substantial portion of the deposition concerns Mr. Wilder's medical records and nursing documentation: the constipation nursing protocol used by LPN Anne Marie Pierre; his reported bowel movements and abdominal pain; the completeness of the nursing assessment; pain documentation, abdominal findings, and vital signs, including the absence of repeat vital signs later in his confinement; the timing of communications with the on-call physician; and the administration of medication. The examination addresses whether an LPN may diagnose medical conditions, the distinction between an assessment and a medical diagnosis, the role of nursing protocols, and what information should be obtained before treatment is provided. It also covers the respective responsibilities of medical and correctional personnel; communication between outgoing and incoming nurses; when an inmate should be transported to a hospital; emergency medical care; the role of jail officers in monitoring inmates in medical units; and the extent to which officers ordinarily rely on medical staff to assess an inmate's needs. CorrectHealth policies on emergency services, hospital transport, officer health training, medical-observation care, and nursing assessment are discussed throughout. Further questioning explores Dr. Bates's opinions on the cause and progression of Mr. Wilder's perforated ulcer, medical literature on mortality following perforation, his prior medical history and risk factors, and the opinions offered by other medical experts in the litigation. Dr. Bates states that his opinions were focused on the medical aspects of the case rather than jail staffing or correctional policy generally. EXHIBITS REFERENCED Materials discussed include Mr. Wilder's CorrectHealth medical records, nursing protocols and progress notes, and intake information; records of communications with the on-call physician and telephone records; deposition testimony from other witnesses; screenshots and video from the jail medical area; employment and medical-provider documents; CorrectHealth policies and procedures; Dr. Bates's Rule 26 disclosure and curriculum vitae; and medical literature relied upon by the witness. ABOUT THIS VIDEO Published for educational and informational purposes regarding civil litigation and the deposition process. Nothing in this video or description is legal advice or medical advice. Expert testimony represents the opinions of the individual witness and is not a judicial finding. Viewers should not draw conclusions about any person or party from allegations or from isolated portions of deposition testimony; disputed issues are resolved through the judicial process. If you believe anything in this description is inaccurate, or that this video discloses personal information that should be removed, contact our office and we will review it promptly. JHPII, LLC represents patients and their families in multi-plaintiff medical, product liability, and whistleblower litigation. JHPII.com The thumbnail image is AI-generated.