The birth of a child is one of the most remarkable and amazing experiences in the lives of parents in Kentucky and around the world. However, when mistakes are made during delivery, what was supposed to be a wonderful experience can quickly turn tragic. Parents in another state were recently awarded $26 million from a medical malpractice lawsuit they filed after a medical center mismanaged the birth of their twins.
The lawsuit claimed that the mother visited the medical center when she was 20 weeks pregnant with the twins due to cramping and spotting. Allegedly, she was seen and sent home by a doctor that was training. A few days later, her bleeding worsened and she returned to the hospital only to be sent home again. When she returned to the hospital for a third time a few days later, she was in labor and one of the babies had already crowned.
The mother claimed her providers were able to delay her labor for a few days, but her babies weighed only 1.5 pounds when they were born. Unfortunately, one of the babies died only a month after birth. The surviving child is now deaf, cannot speak and suffers from kidney failure. The parents claimed that their children would not have had to suffer had they been given adequate care. A jury awarded the parents $26.19 million.
The delivery of a child is a delicate procedure that should be handled with the utmost attention and care. Mistakes and negligence during delivery can have far-reaching impacts on the lives of children and parents. Kentucky residents that feel they have been a victim of medical malpractice can pursue legal action. A successfully litigated lawsuit could result in compensation to help ease the burden of financial losses.
Source: New York Post, “Jury awards $26M to parents after alleging hospital botched pregnancy“, Julia Marsh View, Nov. 5, 2017