A mother filed a lawsuit against a hospital on behalf of her son, who suffers from cerebral palsy. The hospital reportedly waited too long to deliver the baby, which apparently caused him to suffer from brain damage. The jury reached a verdict in this hospital negligence case and awarded over $14 million. Illinois patients could learn from this case.
Back in 2003, when the woman went into the hospital pregnant, her labor was delayed three different times with a medication. Weeks later, she was admitted to the hospital again because her water broke and a C-section was arranged. She requested for the baby to be delivered within a short amount of time, but the medical staff did not follow through with her request. A physician arrived at the hospital and assured her that the baby was in a healthy condition.
Eventually, the baby began displaying signs of fetal distress, and an emergency C-section was performed later that night. When the baby was born, he had an extensive brain hemorrhage. The child suffers from visual impairments and cognitive delays, which will require care for the rest of his life. After hearing both sides of the case, the jury agreed that there had been negligence involved.
Hospital negligence during labor can cause a child to suffer from brain damage and other medical conditions that may result in life-long complications. Families of children who were injured at birth due to the negligence of medical staff may have the right to pursue medical malpractice claims against the facility and/or staff members who were attending to the patient. The civil court system in Illinois typically awards damages in these types of cases based upon evidence that the defendant acted in a negligent manner that caused an injury.
Source: cleveland.com, “Garfield Heights boy and mother awarded $14.5 million in malpractice case“, Karen Farkas, June 13, 2014