At around 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 7, 2012, plaintiffs’ decedent Chris Holmstrom, 68, a licensed contractor, presented to Watsonville Hospital with complaints of chest pain. A day earlier Holmstrom was moving a motorcycle at his residence when he lost his balance and fell, his chest. He thought he pulled a muscle, so he did not initially go to a hospital. However, when Holmstrom found that he was in a lot of pain the following morning, his wife and daughter took him to Watsonville Hospital, where he underwent a chest X-ray that showed multiple rib fractures and a pneumothorax. A surgeon was called to come in and place a chest tube, but in the meantime, Holmstrom developed increasing chest pain despite pain medication. The surgeon subsequently decided to order a CT scan, but due to Holmstrom’s pain, decided to see if a thoracic epidural could be first placed for pain control. The surgeon then contacted Dr. Julio Lopez-Atienzo, an anesthesiologist, who agreed to place the epidural. Holmstrom was moved to the post-anesthesia care unit recovery room, where Lopez-Atienzo placed the epidural. Lopez-Atienzo then remained for 15 minutes to monitor Holmstrom, before leaving Holmstrom in the care of a nurse so that he could check on another patient. Approximately 15 to 20 minutes later, Holmstrom’s heart and blood pressure dropped, and a Code Blue was called. Holmstrom was not able to be successfully resuscitated, and he died. The decedent’s wife, plaintiff Jacqui Holmstrom, and their adult daughter, plaintiff Kelly Holmstrom, sued Watsonville Community Hospital and Lopez-Atienzo. Counsel for Watsonville Community Hospital contended that the defense experts opined that all nursing care was appropriate and within the standard of care, and that the nursing staff did not cause the decedent’s death. However, the hospital ultimately agreed to settle out of the case prior to trial. The plaintiffs’ anesthesiology expert opined that when Lopez-Atienzo first saw the decedent, he should have recognized that the decedent was in shock from hypovolemia — a decreased volume of circulating blood in the body — and had a lot of blood loss. An autopsy later showed that the decedent started bleeding into his chest from the broken ribs. Thus, plaintiffs’ counsel contended that Lopez-Atienzo should have recognized that the decedent was in hypovolemic shock and should have resuscitated the decedent before placing the epidural, as one of the side effects of an epidural is to lower blood pressure, which is dangerous for someone who is already hypovolemic. The plaintiffs’ expert further opined that Lopez-Atienzo used too much medicine when he placed the epidural and that Lopez-Atienzo should have stayed longer to monitor the decedent. Defense counsel contended that the decedent was not in hypovolemic shock, but was in severe pain and suffering from a rare complication of the epidural, whereby the epidural went subdurally and caused paralysis of the diaphragm. Counsel noted that usually when an epidural is placed, it goes outside the spine, but that it sometimes goes under the dura lining of the spine and can travel upwards toward the nerves that control breathing and heart rate. Counsel also noted that the situation only became worse because the decedent already had difficulty breathing due to his rib fractures. The defense’s anesthesiology and pulmonology/critical care experts opined that the rare complication of the epidural going subdurally was what led to the decedent’s death. The surgeon that contacted Lopez-Atienzo testified that he did not think that the decedent was in hypovolemic shock and that he saw the decedent after the epidural was placed, and before the Code Blue was called, and did not think that the decedent was having any difficulties. In addition, the treating emergency room physician testified about the significant amount of pain the decedent was experiencing in the E.R. and to being there for the Code Blue. The physician also opined that he did not think that hypovolemia was the cause of the Code Blue., Chris Holmstrom died on Sept. 7, 2012. He was 68. Plaintiffs’ counsel contended that Holmstrom’s death was caused by hypovolemic shock and internal bleeding. The decedent was survived by his wife, Jacqui Holmstrom, age 64, and his adult daughter, Kelly Holmstrom, age 42. The decedent’s family claimed that they were very close and that Kelly Holmstrom even worked with her father at his construction business. Thus, the family only sought recovery of general damages for the wrongful death of Mr. Holmstrom, as he was semi-retired at the time of his death.