Couple Awarded $16 Million for Child's Birth Asphyxia-Related Death
A couple in San Diego, California, was recently awarded $16 Million by the Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for the death of their baby due to birth asphyxia.
The mother of the baby had gone into the hospital for an induced delivery in November 2004. Attorneys claimed that the baby boy had died of birth asphyxia after becoming stuck in the birth canal. The parents were told that their child had died of lung disease and were not aware, at the time of delivery, of the baby asphyxia injuries. Since the doctors claimed that the death was the result of lung disease, the mother and baby did not receive any birth injury medical resources.
While two doctors were assigned to the mother's care, attorneys claimed that one was seldom checking on her and the other one was never seen.
Jurors in the case returned a verdict that the Sharp Mary Birch Hospital and two doctors were guilty of negligence and had caused harm to the couple. The hospital claims that the $16 Million verdict is too high and will be requesting a new trial.
