In a recent birth injury trial, the family of a girl who was born with severe neurological defects and developed cerebral palsy was awarded over $200 million in damages.
The trial was based on an alleged communication error/failure to communicate accurately the child’s prognosis. Medical mistakes continue to happen at an alarming rate in California and across the nation. In fact, preventable medical errors account for hundreds of thousands of deaths per year, making them the third leading cause of death in the nation.
In the recent case, a pregnant woman was told that she had pre-eclampsia, and that her fetus had a high probability of death. Based on this information, she opted not to have a Cesarean Section, but had an unassisted vaginal birth instead, with no fetal monitoring. and fetal monitoring was discontinued. Labor was induced, and the child was delivered. No heart beat ws detected. She was immediately taken to the NICU, where she was intubated and resuscitated. She now has cerebral palsy, cannot walk, and relies on a feeding tube for nutrition. The jury found that the communication with the mother – which was excessively dire – was negligent and influenced her delivery decision.
The award contains awards for past and future medical care, lost earnings and non-economic damages.
If you believe you or your child has suffered harm due to negligent medical care, we urge you to contact our dedicated Los Angeles medical malpractice lawyers immediately for a compassionate and confidential consultation. Call the trial lawyers at Bostwick and Peterson today.
