Jury Returns $230M Verdict in Medical Malpractice Suit

Birth injury lawsuits are among the most common type of medical malpractice case in the U.S. They often involve difficult pregnancies and the use of surgical tools to deliver the baby. If doctors are not careful, they can cause extensive damage to the child. In one case, a Baltimore jury thought it just to award the parents of a child who will now require round-the-clock for the rest of its life nearly $230 million.

The verdict came against Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. While once considered the industry paragon, Johns Hopkins has suffered a number of reputational setbacks in recent years. These culminated with a Tampa Bay Times expose outlining the problems at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.

Once one of the top pediatric heart programs in Florida, once Johns Hopkins took over, the hospital’s numbers began to decline rapidly. They hired pediatric heart surgeons who had more renown in print than in surgery centers and patient fatalities began to skyrocket.

The Case Against Johns Hopkins 

Johns Hopkins isn’t just accused of negligent hiring, but allowing safety standards to slip to the point where the children that they were operating on suffered from post-surgical infections that were easily avoidable by following proper standards. Even with fatalities mounting, administration at Johns Hopkins All Children’s never bothered to make any change throughout the duration of that period.

Part of the problem appeared to be sheer arrogance. When Johns Hopkins stepped in at All Children’s, the hospital already had a reputation for excellence. But the hospital thought it could benefit and improve its notoriety in the medical community allying themselves with Johns Hopkins. They did, but for all the wrong reasons.

Once Johns Hopkins stepped in, they replaced the hospital staff with their own people. This led to serious communication problems as doctors were forced to operate with new staff. One of the most successful surgeons in the program left the hospital, and All Children’s was left with two surgeons known for their academic achievements and publications as opposed for their surgical acumen.

The Case Against Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical 

A 16-year-old pregnant mother enters the emergency room. She is showing signs of preeclampsia. According to the plaintiff, she was advised by doctors to undergo a c-section but declined because they also told her that the baby would likely have severe brain damage or die as a result of the procedure. In fact, the opposite was true.

The doctors induced labor which lasted 22 hours and during that period of time, the baby’s brain was deprived of oxygen. The child was born with cerebral palsy, microcephaly, and is prone to seizures. According to the lawsuit, the baby is considerable daily pain and will likely be in pain for the rest of his life.

Attorneys for the defendants argued that their hands were tied due to the mother’s decision to forgo a c-section. But the mother argued she was only advocating for her baby.

Talk to a Houston Medical Malpractice Attorney

If your baby has been injured during childbirth, you are not alone. Many children are delivered with cerebral palsy and brain damage because doctors failed to take the necessary measures to prevent it. Talk to a Houston personal injury lawyer at Livingston & Flowers, P.L.L.C. today for more details on how you can fight back.

Resources:

houstonchronicle.com/news/medical/article/Baltimore-jury-awards-229-6M-in-medical-14069402.php

tampabay.com/investigations/2019/04/10/all-childrens-works-to-restore-faith-but-families-struggle-to-forgive/