Multimillion-dollar settlement reached in cerebral palsy case

Thousands of babies are born each year in Houston. The vast majority of them are born without incident to families who have waited for months in anticipation for them to arrive. However, not all births go as planned and a birth injury could occur.
A family recently received a large settlement for a birth injury that happened to their son in 2010. The allegations in the lawsuit included that there was a failure to respond appropriately to the signs of a uterine rupture. The mom came to the hospital with severe abdominal pains at 35 weeks of pregnancy.
The family alleges the staff took too long in performing a caesarian section and failed to promptly notify the physician who had cared for the mom throughout her complicated pregnancy. As a result, the child was born with a severe brain injury. Because of the cerebral palsy, he will require 24 hour per day care for the rest of his life. The courts awarded the family $9 million as a settlement.
When the birth of a child goes unexpectedly wrong, families often wonder who is to blame. Considering an action, such as medical malpractice, could help families investigate what happened and who is at fault. It is important to hold medical professionals accountable for their negligence and to prevent future incidents. Birth injuries typically are very severe and the medical expenses and future care expenses can be huge.
Medical professionals have the duty to do no harm and when negligence does occur it is important to hold them accountable. Birth injuries can be devastating to families as they are unexpected and can carry a lifetime of medical issues and expenses. Understanding a course or action is important. This will help preserve their rights and protect their interests in the situation.
Source: The Washington Times, “Lawyers: $9M settlement for boy’s cerebral palsy,” Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Jan. 29, 2014