Some medical malpractice lawsuits are more serious than others, with many of these often leading to multimillion dollar payouts for the victim.
Many of our Maryland readers stay current with news out of neighboring Pennsylvania, and this is one story that you don’t want to overlook. On Monday, Dec. 23, 2013, a jury in Lehigh County ordered St. Luke’s University Hospital, along with one of its doctors, to pay a family $55 million as the result of a medical malpractice case.
After a two-week trial, the jury issued its final verdict. The family’s legal team was able to convince the jury that a couple’s son was losing oxygen while being delivered and that the woman was too small to deliver such a large baby.
When the boy was born he barely had a pulse, and according to the lawsuit he was “pale and hypotonic with poor respiratory effort” after birth. Along with this, the woman who delivered the baby was rushed into emergency surgery. As a result of the delivery, the boy has suffered a variety of health problems, including cerebral palsy, as well as difficulty walking and talking.
The jury decided that the hospital and the doctor are each half to blame, being that both parties played a role in the errors made during delivery.
Birth injuries still happen in today’s day and age, even with all the advancements in medicine. Those with a child who was injured at birth due to the negligence of a medical professional, have legal rights. They can and should seek compensation from the negligent party.