When a mother is laboring, there are certain precautions the medical staff must take in order to ensure a smooth process. Monitoring both the mother and the baby is an important part of preventing birth injuries in Massachusetts. At the first sign of distress, a physician may have to make emergency decisions to ensure the baby is not deprived of oxygen. As one recent incident illustrates, failing to do so can result in serious injuries.
A 5-year-old in Georgia suffers from seizures and developmental delays. He cannot walk or talk, and he is fed through a tube in his stomach. The young boy has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and suffers from disfigurement, which the family’s attorneys say are a direct result of an incident that occurred during his birth.
According to court documents, while the infant was still in utero, fetal monitoring showed that he was not getting enough oxygen. The hospital’s neonatal resuscitation team was busy at the time of his birth, and medical staff failed to call in back-up help. As a result, the baby had to wait for eight minutes for a breathing tube. A Georgia jury determined that the hospital did not follow the medical standards of care and awarded the family $8.45 million.
While the money will not reverse the child’s condition, it will help to pay for medical bills and expenses associated with keeping the boy as healthy as possible. When physicians or medical facilities fail to take the right steps during a woman’s pregnancy or the birth of a child, catastrophic injuries may ensue. People who feel they have been victims of medical malpractice should consult an attorney to explore the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit.
Source: Gainesville Times, “Hospital must pay $8.4 million after boy’s injury at birth,” Nick Watson, Oct. 22, 2014
