September 18, 2011
/24-7PressRelease/ -- A
birth injury lawsuit based on an obstetrician's mistakes during delivery has led to the largest med mal jury verdict ever awarded in Connecticut. The child, who is currently eight years old, suffered severe brain damage when the doctor failed to perform a timely delivery. The boy faces a life of being unable to walk, talk or eat.
A Waterbury jury determined that the family should receive $58.6 million in damages due to the tragic maternity error and the lifetime of medical care, adaptive equipment and nursing care the child will need. The birth took place at Stamford Hospital, which was originally named as a defendant by the plaintiffs, but dropped from the lawsuit when no
hospital negligence was revealed by their attorney's investigation.
Birth injuries pose steep challenges for families who receive terrible news on a day they expected to be joyous. One of the greatest risks for newborns is being denied sufficient oxygen (hypoxia) during the delivery process. For that reason, strict medical monitoring and protocols must guide an obstetrician's discretion as to when or whether to perform a cesarean section.
Oxygen deprivation during birth can cause cerebral palsy, and the full effects of this condition may not become apparent for months or years after a child's birth. Due to Connecticut's statute of limitations on med mal claims, it is particularly important to consult with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer to quickly understand whether something may have gone wrong that justifies legal action.
Assessing the Causes of Injuries at Birth
Prior to the jury's determination that the circumstances of the case justified the record damages award, the plaintiffs presented evidence that the doctor's delays in delivery caused permanent brain damage. Specifically, the obstetrician failed to make incisions to relieve the upper uterus to facilitate a less traumatic delivery, then failed to timely decide to perform a c-section.
In any
medical malpractice case, expert assessment of the medical records is the first step in assembling a legal strategy. Whether the patient harmed is a new child whose life of possibilities is jeopardized, or a family breadwinner who suffers a wrongful death due a surgeon's error, aggressive advocacy from a Connecticut medical malpractice attorney can help a family pursue justice and restore financial stability.
Article provided by The Pickel Law Firm, LLC
Visit us at
www.alanpickel.com---
Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com# # #
Read more Press Releases from Findlaw PR:
