Earlier this month, a Kentucky family was awarded approximately $18 million for injuries their child sustained during birth. According to a report by one news source, the child was born after being oxygen-deprived for several minutes, ultimately resulting in his cerebral palsy diagnosis.
Evidently, the mother was admitted to the hospital back in 2007 for an induced pregnancy. At the time of the procedure, the mother’s pregnancy had been a normal one, and, according to her doctor’s standing orders, she was not to exceed four contractions per hour. In addition, the nursing staff was supposed to decrease the amount of epidural medication she was receiving, so that she could push the baby out when it came time to deliver.
However, the nursing staff allowed the woman to go six hours having more than four contractions per hour. They also failed to reduce the amount of pain-relieving medication that she was receiving through the epidural. The result was that the woman’s birth was incredibly strained, causing her child to go without oxygen for several minutes, ultimately resulting in a condition called spastic quadriplegia, a form of cerebral palsy.
The Jury’s Verdict
The jury returned a verdict in the case in favor of the woman. It awarded her a total of $18 million, divided up into several categories. Roughly $9 million was designated for the future medical care of her child. Due to the child’s diagnosis, it is likely that there will be substantial medical bills for the remainder of his life. This amount is supposed to compensate the family for these costs.
The jury also allotted $1.5 million for the lost future earnings of the child. Finally, the verdict provided for roughly $4.5 million for the pain and suffering that the family went through as a result of the birth injury. In total, the jury’s verdict exceeded $18 million. While the family won the lawsuit and has recovered a substantial amount of money, it is still not a replacement for having a healthy child.
Birth Injury Lawsuits
Like any other medical procedure, a negligently performed delivery can be the basis for a medical malpractice action against the doctor, nurse, or facility that performed the delivery. In some cases, multiple parties can be joined in the lawsuit in order to ensure that the party that is found ultimately responsible is held financially liable. To learn more about birth-injury lawsuits, contact a dedicated Illinois injury attorney.
Have You Suffered a Birth Injury?
If you have suffered a birth injury that you believe was caused by a physician’s, nurse’s, or hospital employee’s negligence, you may be entitled to monetary damages. Having an ally in your pursuit of justice will increase your chances of success. The dedicated attorneys at the Cavanagh Sorich Law Group have years of collective experience litigating all kinds of personal injury cases, including medical malpractice and birth injury cases. Contact us to set up a free initial consultation with an attorney.