A Washington jury recently awarded a family $23.9 million in damages after it claimed that a child suffered permanent brain injuries due to suffocation during her birth. 
According to the Port Hadlock Leader, a Kitsap County jury determined that Jefferson County Public Hospital District was negligent in handling the child’s birth, resulting in injuries. Jefferson Healthcare said it would appeal the verdict, which was handed down in December.
Lawyers for the family argued that providers with the hospital missed several critical signs during the birthing process in 2014, including that her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, cutting off her supply to oxygen.
The attorneys argued that the healthcare providers used a fetal heart monitor during the delivery, but negligently picked up the mother’s heartbeat instead of the baby’s.
Following her birth, the child had to be resuscitated to begin breathing on her own. She now has permanent brain injuries and will need assistance for the remainder of her life. An MRI taken after her birth showed the child suffered from brain damage due to hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.
Brain Injuries Sustained During Birth Can Have Long-Term Consequences
This is an incredibly sad story. Brain injuries brought on by alleged malpractice present significant obstacles to both the individual living with the disability and his or her loved ones. Parents are often presented with substantial financial difficulties, as they are forced to pay for medical treatment and therapies for the remainder of a victim’s life.
Caring for someone with a brain injury can be extremely inflexible and financial support can help improve the life of a person suffering greatly, which is why lawsuit verdicts are often substantial.
If you or your child has suffered a brain injury due to the negligence of a healthcare provider, our Ryan Krebs, M.D., J.D., is particularly qualified to handle medical malpractice cases.
Our firm is well versed in birth injury law and each birth trauma attorney can provide you with the legal advice and representation you need to successfully pursue a case. For a free discussion about your case, call 1-(800)-460-0606.
Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP – Birth Injury Attorneys
Source: https://www.ptleader.com/stories/jefferson-healthcare-hit-with-24m-verdict-plans-to-appeal,67125
