Deposition of Yong S. Lee, MD: Anesthesiologist at OrthoAtlanta

DEPOSITION OF YONG S. LEE, MD Defendant Physician, OrthoAtlanta / Piedmont Orthopedics Arlina Addison v. Piedmont Orthopedics, LLC, OrthoAtlanta, LLC, OrthoAtlanta Surgery Center of Austell, LLC, Yong S. Lee, MD, et al. State Court of Fulton County, Georgia — Civil Action No. 22EV005539 — In this deposition, Plaintiff's trial lawyer James Hugh Potts II examines Yong S. Lee, MD, a defendant physician who performed the cervical epidural steroid injection at issue in this case. The deposition was taken by video on February 4, 2025, via Zoom videoconference before a certified court reporter. Counsel for the defendants appeared and represented their clients throughout the examination. A deposition is sworn, out-of-court testimony given by a witness before trial, recorded by a court reporter and, in this case, on video. It is a standard part of the discovery phase of a civil lawsuit, during which both sides gather testimony and evidence. BACKGROUND The complaint alleges that on the morning of June 9, 2022, Arlina Addison was admitted to the OrthoAtlanta surgery center in Austell, Georgia, where Dr. Lee performed a C6-C7 cervical epidural steroid injection to address her reported neck and arm pain. According to the complaint, shortly after the injection she exhibited decerebrate posturing and other neurological symptoms, and she was later transferred by ambulance to WellStar Cobb Hospital, where imaging was performed. The complaint alleges she suffered permanent brain injury. The defendants deny these allegations. The lawsuit brings claims including professional malpractice (breach of the standard of care) against Dr. Lee and against other defendant providers; negligent hiring, supervision, retention, credentialing, re-credentialing, and entrustment; systemic and systems-based negligence against the corporate medical defendants; and claims for compensatory and punitive damages. The defendants deny these allegations. The claims described here are allegations only; they have not been proven, and every defendant is presumed not liable unless and until liability is established in a court of law. TESTIMONY TOPICS During the examination, Dr. Lee is questioned about his background, training, and qualifications; his practice at the defendant facilities; the cervical epidural steroid injection procedure generally; his care and treatment of the plaintiff on June 9, 2022; his use of imaging during the procedure; the events that followed the injection and the transfer of the patient; his operative note and related records; and various facility policies and records introduced as exhibits. EXHIBITS REFERENCED Exhibits introduced during the deposition include Dr. Lee's curriculum vitae; documents brought to the deposition; recordings and records relating to a 911 call; fluoroscopy images from the procedure and from other dates; the patient's OrthoAtlanta medical record and medical notes; an incident report; the patient's hospital and Epic records; audit trail documents; spinal-column exemplars; and various facility policies, including policies on operating-room readiness, radiologic interpretation, post-anesthesia care, patient care, and transfer to a tertiary care facility. — ABOUT THESE VIDEOS This video is part of the public court record in this case. It is published for educational and informational purposes regarding the civil litigation and deposition process. Nothing in this video or description is legal advice, medical advice, or a statement of fact as to any disputed issue. The allegations described are those of the Plaintiff, and the defendants dispute them. Viewers should not form conclusions about any party; disputed issues are resolved by the court and, where applicable, a jury. If you believe any information here is inaccurate, please contact our office and we will review it. JHPII, LLC represents patients and their families in multi-plaintiff medical, product liability, and whistleblower litigation. JHPII.com — Depositions filed with the court are generally presumed to be public records. This deposition was taken and filed in connection with State Court of Fulton County Civil Action No. 22EV005539. Thumbnail image is AI-generated.