Birth injury verdict exceeds $100 million

A teenage girl suffering from cerebral palsy just received a jury verdict in excess of $100 million. It is alleged that her medical condition came about due to birth injuries suffered when her and her twin sister were born three months prematurely. It is further claimed that the two sisters were born early due to the hospital’s failure to provide adequate care.

Though her twin sister appears not to have been injured at birth, the teenage girl at the center of the lawsuit reportedly suffered brain injury and cerebral palsy because of the hospital’s lack of treatment. So severe are her disabilities that she apparently cannot even roll over bed on her own.

This court case did not occur in Pennsylvania, but the size of the verdict is noteworthy. The jury awarded the girl $17 million for past pain and suffering, and an additional $60 million for future pain and suffering. The remainder of the award concerned future medical expenses and lost wages.

Even the defendant hospital appeared to understand that this medical lawsuit would involve a great sum of money, though officials at this facility obviously disagreed with the size of the verdict. The attorneys for defendant hospital in this matter felt the verdict should have been less than $100 million.

It must be understood that the expenses and wages that come along following a prognosis of cerebral palsy will be enormous. Such individuals will require a lifetime of care, and there’s an extreme chance that the victims of this disease will never hold an occupation.

If we were to place ourselves in the position of the victim of such birth injuries, we may be able to understand just how much money would be required to compensate such individuals.

Source: New York Post, “Family of SI cerebral palsy teen wins $100M lawsuit against birth hospital,” by Josh Saul, August 25, 2012