Earlier this year, a hospital that was being sued by the family of a three-year-old girl who was born with cerebral palsy admitted liability and apologized to the girl as well as her parents. According to one local news source, the error came in the form of the administration of Syntocinon, a pharmaceutical used to speed up the labor process.
Evidently, the mother was admitted to the hospital late in the evening
on April 21, 2011. Initially, test results all came back fine. However,
a few hours later, a drain of meconium was noticed, and syntocinon was
provided to the mother to induce birth. The mother began having contractions
that slowed the heart-rate of the child inside her. The attorney for the
family explained to reporters that this was where the critical error occurred.
The hospital staff should have stopped the administration of syntocinon
at this point because the child’s heartbeat was slowing to a dangerously low pace.
Further intensifying the error, the hospital did not immediately deliver
the child but waited an additional 25 minutes. The child was born with
cerebral palsy. She must be fed through a tube, can only communicate with
her eyes, and can only sit up for short periods of time.
The hospital admitted liability in open court. They also apologized to
the family, acknowledging that nothing they do now can change the tragic
turn of events back in 2011. The hospital administration does claim that
they learned from their mistakes and now use different procedures during
complicated births.
Birth Injury Cases in the United States
While this
birth injury case took place in the United Kingdom, the same principles that allow
for financial recovery for the family of a birth injury victim apply here
in the U.S. as well. Specifically, under the doctrine of medical malpractice,
any person injured by the medical negligence of a doctor is entitled to
monetary damages to help compensate them for their injuries. In cases
when a child is born with irreversible birth injuries, the lawsuit can
be brought in that child’s name by his or her parents.
Amounts recovered in this type of lawsuit can vary widely. However, it is common for birth injury victims and their families to be compensated for past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, decreased quality of life, loss of future earning potential, and in some cases even punitive damages. To learn more about birth injury lawsuits and to see if you may have a case that qualifies for compensation, speak with a dedicated birth injury attorney.
Was Your Child Born with an Irreversible Birth Injury?
If you recently gave birth to a child who suffers from an irreversible
birth injury, you may be entitled to monetary damages to help compensate
you and your child for all that you both have been put through. Unlike
in the story above, hospitals and doctors rarely admit to liability without
first seeing the proof against them. It is an attorney’s job to
put together a strong case to prove to the defendants, and ultimately
to the jury if necessary, that the defendants were negligent in the delivery
of your baby. To learn more, contact the dedicated birth injury law firm
of Wais, Vogelstein, Forman & Offutt. The skilled advocates at WVF
have years of experience bringing all kinds of medical malpractice cases
against negligent physicians and hospitals, including those resulting
in serious birth injuries. Call (410) 567-0800 today to set up a free consultation
with an attorney.