New York Medical Malpractice Lawyer Blog
The case of a little boy who was born with brain damage as a result of medical negligence has just been settled for $8.5 million. The boy who is five years old still requires ongoing regular medical treatment due to his injuries. The settlement is supposed to cover medical costs as well as any future medical requirements that he will continue to need for the rest of his life.
There was no reason to be concerned about the pregnancy. It was thought to be a normal pregnancy and no extra precautions were taken. Standard preparations were made at the medical center explains the expert. However, at around 9 AM heart monitors around the mothers belly detected a very sharp decrease in the heart rate. Prior to this the heart rate was a very healthy 140 beats per minute. However, this suddenly dropped to just 60 beats per minute.
The nurse who noticed this continued to take more readings, stated the rep. However, she did not raise the alarm for about 30 minutes and instead chose to monitor the condition. After 30 minutes she finally did contact the on call obstetrician. It took around 20 minutes for him to arrive.
The doctor explains that the obstetrician did not take the lady straight in for the emergency C-section. Instead he continued to wait until around 11 AM. The actual C-section was very easy and it only took 4 minutes to take the baby out. The prosecution argues that if the C-section was performed earlier that the baby would not of suffered serious brain damage.
An expert witness who practices in The Bronx and Brooklyn was called to give evidence at the trial. The expert said that the injuries which have affected the child’s whole life were avoidable. It’s suspected that the low heart rate was caused by an obstructed umbilical cord. This restricted the amount of oxygen available which left the baby suffering from brain damage. The child still suffers from seizures, and is unable to see or walk unless he is assisted.
If your baby is affected by an avoidable birth injury then you might have a case. Discuss your claim with a New York Birth Injury Attorney to get the very best advice about the chances of your case succeeding. A New York Birth Injury Attorney will be able to handle everything, including arranging expert witnesses.