In Oregon and beyond, mothers rely on their medical teams to help keep themselves and their babies safe during labor and delivery. If a baby suffers a birth injury, an investigation is typically conducted to determine whether a licensed medical care provider was negligent. The parents of a brain-injured infant in another state filed a lawsuit after their child was born with a dangerously low heartbeat.
A particular nurse was deemed responsible for the infant’s brain injuries. She was assigned to monitor the child’s heart rate at the time. Court records show that instead of using an electronic fetal heart monitor machine, the nurse used a hand-held mobile device, and was possibly monitoring the mother’s heart, not the child’s.
A jury awarded the parents more than $30 million in damages. The company responsible for the nurse’s employment contract at the hospital was also found negligent in the case. To avoid paying the full amount of the jury verdict, the company offered a settlement amount to the parents, which they accepted.
When an infant in Oregon or elsewhere suffers a birth injury, he or she may need assisted-living care throughout his or her lifetime. The emotional pain and trauma of such incidents can cause parents lasting grief, as well. While litigation can never undo physical damage that was done, those who were negligent can at least be held financially accountable for the substandard care they provided. Any parent wishing to file a claim on behalf of an injured child may request a consultation with an experienced medical malpractice attorney.