Springfield Partner John Flahive obtained a defense verdict in a case involving the death of an individual following a multilevel anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion. John presented evidence that following an episode of respiratory distress, the patient was evaluated by an airway specialist from anesthesia and a covering orthopedic spine surgeon. Evidence was also presented that it was outside the scope of practice and expertise for our client to order and/or preform a surgical airway during a code situation. In addition, evidence was presented that the cause of the patient’s respiratory distress and death was of uncertain etiology.