Second largest payout in hospital history after birth injury

Doctors and hospital personnel must make decisions which can have severe and long-lasting impact on patients every day. Patients put themselves in the care of these professionals, trusting that their training and experience will result in decisions that are in the patients’ best interests and outcomes. Unfortuntely, mistakes are sometimes made. The reasons for these medical mistakes vary but that does not change the potential they each have for life-lasting consequences.

In Ohio, a child born in 2006 was alleged to have been left permanently brain damage as the result of the wrong decisions and actions made during the mother’s labor and delivery. Disputes over proper use of a medication used to control contractions as well as a delayed decision to proceed with a C-section were said to have led to the birth injury. 

The family has been awarded $5.25 million as a result of their lawsuit against Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University. The settlement constitutes the second largest medical negligence suit in the history of the Ohio State medical facility. The now seven-year old child requires 24-hour care due to the brain injury incurred during the birth.

Medical malpractice lawsuits are complex and never black-and-white cases. There are many nuances to the laws and to each individual situation. If you believe that you or a loved on has been subject to a medical error, one of the best things you can do is to consult with a professional that has experience in this arena so that you can learn about your rights and what opportunities you have for fair compensation.

Source: The Columbus Dispatch, “Brain injury during birth costs Ohio State hospital $5.25 million,” Ben Sutherly, June 28, 2013