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A Pennsylvania Medical Center was found negligent in the case of a birth injury lawsuit recently. The resulting settlement was a record breaking $21 million. Jurors found the doctors and staff responsible for the injuries sustained during the delivery process of the plaintiff’s son which resulted in his catastrophic birth injury.
The plaintiff shared her testimony of what should have been one of the happiest memories of her life during the hearing. She told of her arrival at the medical center and of being prepped for child birth. She said that routine procedures were not handled properly. She stated to a friend that had the staff monitored the baby’s heart rates and vital signs properly, they would have seen that the baby was lacking oxygen and thus moving into breach position which necessitated an emergency cesarean section surgery. Even though the surgery was flawless, the mother maintained that the negligence of the staff resulted in her baby developing cerebral palsy. Had the staff been aware of the situation, the surgery would have happened quicker – within the time frame necessary to probably prevent the condition her son now has to live with for the rest of his life.
Cerebral palsy involves brain and nervous system functions such as movement, learning, hearing, seeing and thinking and is usually caused by injuries or abnormalities of the brain and in some cases by hypoxia (damaging of the brain during periods of low levels of oxygen.)
The jury awarded the plaintiff the millions of dollars so she could cover the costs of the medical and physical needs of the baby and the medical expenses incurred because of the birth injury. The settlement amount also included compensation for lost wages.
According to jurors, the doctors should have reacted promptly when signs manifested that something may have been wrong. Doctors in Brooklyn and Manhattan stated that “All defendants completely failed to timely recognize and react to non-reassuring sign.”
If you feel that your child’s birth injury is the result – direct or indirect – of hospital negligence, contact a New York Birth Injury Attorney as soon as possible. They will understand your need and be able to recover your entitled and just compensation.