Puckett-Morrissette v. Durrani

Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided April 22, 2026·No. C-250067, C-250069, C-250276·Published

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT OF OHIO HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO

SHERRI PUCKETT-MORRISSETTE, : APPEAL NO. C-250067 TRIAL NO. A-1601536

Plaintiff-Appellee, :

vs. : ABUBAKAR ATIQ DURRANI, M.D., :

and :

CENTER FOR ADVANCED SPINE : TECHNOLOGIES, INC., :

Defendants-Appellants, :

and :

WEST CHESTER HOSPITAL, LLC, :

and :

UC HEALTH, :

Defendants.

:

DERRILL REYNOLDS, : APPEAL NO. C-250069 TRIAL NO. A-1706444

Plaintiff-Appellee, :

vs. : ABUBAKAR ATIQ DURRANI, M.D., :

and :

CENTER FOR ADVANCED SPINE : TECHNOLOGIES, INC., :

OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

Defendants-Appellants, :

and : WEST CHESTER HOSPITAL, LLC, :

and : UC HEALTH, :

Defendants. :

CHERYL WYATT, : APPEAL NO. C-250276 TRIAL NO. A-1505970 and :

CHARLES WYATT, :

JUDGMENT ENTRY

Plaintiffs-Appellees, :

vs. : ABUBAKAR ATIQ DURRANI, M.D., :

and :

CENTER FOR ADVANCED SPINE : TECHNOLOGIES, INC., :

Defendants-Appellants, :

and :

JOURNEY LITE OF CINCINNATI, LLC, :

Defendant.

:

This cause was heard upon the appeals, the record, the briefs, and arguments.

For the reasons set forth in the Opinion filed this date, the judgments of the trial court are affirmed in part, reversed in part, and vacated in part, and the cause is remanded.

OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

Further, the court holds that there were reasonable grounds for these appeals, allows no penalty, and orders that costs be taxed 50% to Appellants and 50% to Appellees.

The court further orders that (1) a copy of this Judgment with a copy of the Opinion attached constitutes the mandate, and (2) the mandate be sent to the trial court for execution under App.R. 27.

To the clerk: Enter upon the journal of the court on 4/22/2026 per order of the court.

By:_______________________ Administrative Judge

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT OF OHIO HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO

SHERRI PUCKETT-MORRISSETTE, : APPEAL NO. C-250067 TRIAL NO. A-1601536

Plaintiff-Appellee, :

vs. : ABUBAKAR ATIQ DURRANI, M.D., :

and :

CENTER FOR ADVANCED SPINE : TECHNOLOGIES, INC., :

Defendants-Appellants, :

and :

WEST CHESTER HOSPITAL, LLC, :

and :

UC HEALTH, :

Defendants.

:

DERRILL REYNOLDS, : APPEAL NO. C-250069 TRIAL NO. A-1706444

Plaintiff-Appellee, :

vs. : ABUBAKAR ATIQ DURRANI, M.D., :

and :

CENTER FOR ADVANCED SPINE : TECHNOLOGIES, INC., :

Defendants-Appellants, :

OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

and : WEST CHESTER HOSPITAL, LLC, :

and : UC HEALTH, :

Defendants. :

CHERYL WYATT, : APPEAL NO. C-250276 TRIAL NO. A-1505970 and :

CHARLES WYATT, :

OPINION

Plaintiffs-Appellees, :

vs. : ABUBAKAR ATIQ DURRANI, M.D., :

and :

CENTER FOR ADVANCED SPINE : TECHNOLOGIES, INC., :

Defendants-Appellants, :

and :

JOURNEY LITE OF CINCINNATI, LLC, :

Defendant.

:

Civil Appeals From: Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas

Judgments Appealed From Are: Affirmed in Part, Reversed in Part, Vacated in Part, and Cause Remanded

Date of Judgment Entry on Appeal: April 22, 2026

OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

Statman Harris, LLC, and Alan J. Statman, for Plaintiffs-Appellees Sherri Puckett- Morrissette, Derrill Reynolds, Cheryl Wyatt, and Charles Wyatt,

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, Philip D. Williamson, Aaron M. Herzig, Russell S. Sayre, and Elise L. Marrinan for Defendants-Appellants Abubakar Atiq Durrani, M.D., and Center for Advanced Spine Technologies, Inc.

NESTOR, Judge.

{¶1} In these consolidated appeals, defendants-appellants Abubakar Atiq Durrani, M.D., and the Center for Advanced Spine Technologies, Inc., (“CAST”) (collectively referred to as “Durrani”) appeal the judgments of the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas finding Durrani liable to plaintiffs-appellees Sherri Puckett- Morrissette, Derrill Reynolds, and Cheryl Wyatt (collectively, “plaintiffs”). The trial court awarded damages to plaintiffs after a joint jury trial. For the following reasons, only Durrani’s arguments regarding setoff and future medical expenses are meritorious. Therefore, the trial court’s judgments are affirmed in part, reversed in part, vacated in part, and the cause is remanded.

I. Factual and Procedural History

{¶2} Plaintiffs sued Durrani after Dr. Durrani performed back surgeries on them, which plaintiffs alleged were unnecessary.

{¶3} Before seeing Dr. Durrani, Reynolds underwent prior back surgeries.

Specifically, he had a fusion at the L4-L5 level and an anterior cervical decompression at C6-C7. Reynolds testified that he initially went to see Dr. Durrani for lower back pain, but Dr. Durrani elected to operate on his neck first. At the L4-L5 level, Dr. Durrani diagnosed Reynolds with lumbar spinal stenosis, spondylosis, disc herniation, and foraminal stenosis. Dr. Durrani also noted a failed fusion at C6-C7 and arthritis and radiculopathy at C5-C6. Dr. Durrani performed a revision surgery at C6-C7 and a fusion at C5-C6. At a later date, Dr. Durrani also performed a revision on L4-L5.

{¶4} Wyatt also had a previous surgery on C6-C7 before seeing Dr. Durrani.

She also initially went to see Dr. Durrani for lower back pain. Dr. Durrani treated this pain with epidural injections. Then, Wyatt began experiencing neck pain. Dr. Durrani diagnosed her with herniated discs and stenosis at the C3-C4 and C4-C5 levels. Dr.

OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

Durrani performed an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion on C4-C5 and C5-C6. Wyatt testified that she believed she was only having surgery on one level of her spine, but Dr. Durrani performed surgery on two levels.

{¶5} Puckett-Morrissette did not have any prior back surgeries before seeing Dr. Durrani. However, she did have other medical issues, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which is a connective tissue disorder that causes joint hypermobility. She went to see Dr. Durrani for neck pain. Dr. Durrani’s clinical impression was that Puckett-Morrissette was experiencing instability at C1-C2, caused by the Ehlers- Danlos syndrome. Dr. Durrani performed a fusion surgery at C1-C2, placing two screws in her neck.

{¶6} After a consolidated jury trial, the jury found in favor of plaintiffs on their claims for negligence, lack of informed consent, battery, and fraud. The jury also found in favor of Wyatt’s spouse, Charles Wyatt, on his loss of consortium claim. Plaintiffs moved for prejudgment interest, which the trial court granted. Durrani moved for judgment notwithstanding the verdict (“JNOV”), or in the alternative, for a new trial. Durrani also moved for a setoff. The trial court denied Durrani’s motions, but applied statutory damages caps to reduce each plaintiff’s punitive damages and noneconomic damages awards.

{¶7} This appeal followed.1 II. Analysis

{¶8} Durrani raises four assignments of error. First, they argue that the trial court should have ordered new trials with single plaintiffs, instead of trying Puckett- Morrissette’s, Reynolds’s and Wyatt’s cases together. Second, Durrani argues that the

1 Appellees Sherri Puckett-Morrissette and Cheryl Wyatt moved this court to dismiss their fraud claims. This court denied those motions because appellate courts cannot dismiss claims on appeal.

OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

trial court should have granted their motions for a new trial or JNOV, based on evidentiary issues. Third, Durrani argues that the trial court should have granted their motions for a new trial or JNOV, based on damages issues. Fourth and finally, Durrani argues that the trial court should not have awarded prejudgment interest.

A. First Assignment of Error

{¶9} Durrani’s first assignment of error asserts that the trial court erred by not ordering new trials with single plaintiffs.

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