When birth injuries occur, the effects can be devastating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nearly 100 babies are born each year with preventable birth injuries, such as cerebral palsy, spinal cord damage, and Erb's palsy. In a recent birth injury lawsuit, a jury awarded a family close to $32 million as the result of injuries caused by health care workers' gross negligence.
If you believe your child has suffered a birth injury as the result of medical negligence, it is important to consult with a skilled Los Angeles medical malpractice attorney right away.
At the recent trial, evidence was presented that the medical personnel failed to meet the requisite standard of care. This included the nurses' failure to communicate to the doctor on call that the infant's heart rate had dropped to dangerous levels – a sign of fetal distress. Once the doctor became aware of the drop, he immediately ordered an emergency cesarean section and instructed the nurses to locate an anesthesiologist. However, the nurses delayed contacting the anesthesiologist. According to evidence presented at trial, as a result of these preventable errors, the baby was deprived of oxygen for close to 45 minutes and now suffers from cerebral palsy.
The money from the award will be used to help defray the significant costs of a lifetime of medical care.
For more information or if you believe that your child has suffered a birth injury, please contact the top Los Angeles birth injury lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for an immediate, confidential consultation.