Birth injury lawsuit settled, family awarded $7.5 million

It is reasonable to expect that when you go to the hospital in Pittsburgh or anywhere else seeking medical help, you will get the attention that you need. Yet, that is not always the case. Medical professionals are often rushed or simply don’t comprehend the severity of a situation and discharge a patient without a proper diagnosis.

One mother’s life was forever changed after her uterus ruptured and her infant son suffered from a birth injury. The child was deprived of oxygen during labor and the delivery process and now has brain damage as a result. A lawsuit against the Los Angeles hospital where the woman gave birth alleged that the injury was preventable if proper attention had been paid by the hospital staff. She went to the county run hospital complaining of severe abdominal pain. A medical resident discharged the 39-weeks-pregnant woman, without her ever being evaluated by an attending physician. Twelve hours later, she returned to the hospital where she had an emergency Cesarean section. The lawsuit was recently settled for $7.5 million, allowing the mother to pay for medical costs, buy a home and move the child—who is now 18-months old—out of the care facility where he has been staying.

Brain injuries typically require a lifetime of medical expenses. If you believe that your child was injured because of a negligent doctor or a negligent nurse during the delivery process, you should speak with an attorney about filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. While no amount of compensation can make up for the inadequate standard of care that you received, it can ease the financial burden of future medical expenses.

Source: InsuranceJournal.com, “Los Angeles County Settles $7.5M Medical Malpractice Suit,” Associated Press, Nov. 7, 2013.