When a mother goes into labor in Springfield, Massachusetts, she depends on her doctor to monitor her progress and do everything in his or her power to ensure that she and the baby are kept safe. When negligence occurs during labor and delivery, the consequences can be devastating.
This was the case for a mother who felt that her doctor did not properly handle her labor and delivery in 2009. The woman and her mother told the obstetrician that they were worried about the fact that an ultrasound had determined that the baby weighed approximately 10 pounds. They shared their concerns with him about the safety of delivering a baby of that size, but the doctor dismissed their fears and told them everything would be fine.
After the woman went into labor, she went almost eight hours without progressing. Although that probably should have been an indicator that a C-section was necessary, the obstetrician did not perform one. During the vaginal delivery, the baby went without oxygen for over three minutes when her shoulder became stuck.
Although the baby was resuscitated and transferred to another hospital for specialized treatment, she was left with neurological injuries and mild cerebral palsy as a result of the oxygen deprivation. The mother suffered injuries that left her incontinent and unable to work.
The mother filed a birth injury suit and was recently awarded $4 million. Hopefully with this judgment, she will be able to pay for her and her daughter’s medical expenses and be able to start the process of healing from this experience.
Source: The Morning Call, “Lehigh County jury awards $4 million in birth injury suit,” Peter Hall, Sep. 11, 2013
