A jury has returned a verdict in the medical malpractice claim brought on behalf of 4 year old Sierra Wilson of South Carolina.  The child suffered a brain injury during birth, which resulted in Cerebral Palsy.  She died from complications of the illness.

According to the lawsuit, the girl’s mother, Robin Wilson, arrived at the Rock Hill hospital three days before she was scheduled to be induced, suffering from nausea and vomiting.  A nurse trainee was assigned to monitor Wilson, and the inexperienced practitioner misread the fetal heart monitoring device, failing to diagnose the baby’s distress.

Baby Sierra was subsequently born with a severe brain injury due to lack of oxygen before and during her birth.  She suffered from Cerebral Palsy, which caused her to have seizures and she was required to undergo almost daily therapy.  She was only able to eat through a feeding tube.

The settlement was much more than the Wilson’s expected: $4.4 million.  In fact, Sierra’s father Brice was quoted as saying, “I’ve never been in this for the money.  I’ve always wanted justice and vindication for my daughter. What she went through, she didn’t deserve.”

The hospital plans to appeal the decision.

Source:   HeraldOnline

On Friday, an Idaho jury awarded $3.25 million to a 4-year-old boy who suffered brain injury during birth and now lives with cerebral palsy. His mother, a former inmate at Pocatello Women’s Correctional Center, was also awarded damages in the amount of $375,000.

Complaints Ignored
Jamie Lysager was about seven months pregnant when she began to complain of severe abdominal pain. Lysager was checked by a nurse at the prison infirmary, where she remained for the next 11 hours despite her complaints.

It turned out that Lysager was in preterm labor. At the urging of prison guards, the nurse finally checked on her again. This time the nurse had Lysager sent to the hospital, but in a prison van rather than an ambulance.

Birth on Cold Concrete
In a wheelchair on her way to the van, Lysager gave birth to son Taylor. He was born onto a cold concrete ramp. Prison guards took the mother and infant back inside where they remained until an ambulance came. During this time, Taylor was not getting sufficient oxygen to his brain

At about two years of age, Taylor was diagnosed with Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL), a permanent type of brain injury common in premature babies. It is caused by oxygen deprivation and/or poor blood circulation and is often a precursor to cerebral palsy.

Medical Negligence
Lysager filed her lawsuit against Prison Health Services, the group that previously administered medical services for the state’s Department of Corrections, and two of its employees. The lawsuit claimed medical negligence, among other things.

Medical negligence often has dire consequences that aren’t always immediately apparent. However, as soon as medical negligence is suspected, it’s wise to seek the advice of an attorney who can determine what, if any, legal action can be taken.