Justice for Khaliah- Overcoming Legal Injustice

Hello everyone, my name is Khaliah Shaw! I’m reaching out because I have been dealt a grave injustice by our legal system — one that has cost me not just 11 years of fighting, but the financial compensation I was promised, and what was rightfully awarded to me. I am doing this on my own. I have no family support in this. I need help now to reclaim what was taken from me so I can rebuild my life.

This started in 2014 when I developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome after being improperly medicated for depression and SI. I spent 37 days in a medically induced coma and woke up to a body I did not recognize. I had to completely learn how to walk, eat, swallow, everything all over again. I had to quit school as I was in the middle of a master's program for health education. I have never been able to fully recover from this ordeal.

I won a substantial verdict in court — a legal decision found in my favor. I had proof, I had witnesses, and I trusted that the court’s ruling meant closure and justice. But it didn’t end there. The defendants appealed, and their legal team used Georgia’s apportionment laws to reduce what they owed me. Under current Georgia law, when someone sues just one defendant, that defendant can avoid full financial responsibility even if others who weren’t part of the lawsuit share fault. The Georgia Supreme Court upheld this interpretation in a case. Because of that ruling, the defendants in my case were allowed to escape full liability. This meant that my award — the compensation I was depending on to recover from what I endured — was cut extremely short and in effect, denied. And with legal fees, legal expenses and insurance reimbursement - that left me with a fraction of what I deserve and not enough to care for myself.

I appealed because I believed the law should account for all wrongdoing, no matter who committed it. But the higher courts refused to hear my case. The Supreme Court wouldn’t even grant review. My chance for justice was effectively silenced, not because I didn’t have a case, but because of how the law is written and interpreted. Later, I learned that Georgia passed a new law (House Bill 961) that would allow apportionment of fault even when only one defendant is sued — but that law only applies to cases filed after it was signed. Mine was filed before, so this change doesn’t help me.

This is not just a personal disappointment. It’s a systemic injustice. I followed the process. I waited. I paid legal fees. I gave everything to a legal system that told me if I was right, I would win. I did win. But I still walked away with essentially nothing. Georgia’s apportionment law made it possible for those responsible to avoid accountability. Despite the harm I endured and the court ruling in my favor, I was left with no meaningful compensation — unable to work as I am permanently disabled.

I’m doing this alone. I don’t have parents or family helping me. I’m raising funds to cover what should’ve been paid to me in the first place. I need to recover legal costs, the difference between what I was awarded and what I actually received, and all the debt and damage I’ve been left with. I want to move forward — to pay the bills this trauma created, to repair my life, build a home that’s mine and to get back on solid ground.

I’m asking for $4.5 Million dollars because that’s what it cost a for me to leave the hospital in 2014. To stay alive. I want what I deseve— the amount I was denied due to the apportionment laws, plus the legal fees and financial costs I’ve had to carry by myself. Any amount helps. Even $5 or $20 means something. And if you can’t donate, just sharing this story makes a difference.

I have all the documents to prove what happened — court orders, appeal denials, the verdict - they are all on the public internet. This is not based on rumor or exaggeration. It’s grounded in real law and real harm. I promise full transparency. I will share updates and keep you informed every step of the way.

If I am missing something, and there are other legal options on a federal level, I am in need of new legal representation. Please assist me with finding new legal representation.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. Your donation, your share, your prayer — it all matters. I’m trying to right a wrong. I’m trying to survive something that should’ve already been resolved. I can’t do it without you.