Over ten years ago a family’s life was forever altered following a birth injury that occurred at the Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. Several of our Chicago malpractice attorneys at Levin & Perconti filed a lawsuit against the negligent medical professional and hospital involved in the error to help vindicate the rights of the injured child and her family. The suit was settled today with the hospital and the physician providing the family with $6.5 million. Two of our attorneys, John Perconti and Patricia Gifford, represented the family in the ordeal.
There were no apparent complications when the victimized mother was brought to the Lutheran General around 3:30 in the morning on September 26, 2000. The mother had not had any complications during the nine month pregnancy-a normal delivery was expected. Yet, problems arose during the pregnancy itself for which the medical team involved failed to account. Specifically, the nursing and delivery doctor failed to notice the fact that the child’s head was too large to fit through the mother’s pelvis-a condition known as cephalic pelvic disproportion.
The problems did not end there.
Medical professionals also gave the mother Pitocin, a labor inducement medication that was unnecessary because contractions were normal at the time. Four hours later the baby had not descended. Signs were present that indicated fetal hypoxia-oxygen deprivation to the child. The oxygen problem continued for over 15 minutes. Yet the medical professionals took no notice. Following even more complications the obstetrician ordered a Cesarean Section, but the anesthesiologist improperly anesthetized the mother forcing her arms and legs to be held down while the incision was made.
When the baby girl was finally born she suffered from cerebral palsy and mental retardation because of the oxygen deprivation. The now ten year old girl has trouble walking, minor cognitive defects, and needs assistance dressings, bathing, and using the bathroom. Her family will need to provide on-going medical care for the rest of her life.
Our Chicago malpractice attorney John Perconti explained, “The unfortunate mix of an inexperienced family practitioner practicing obstetrics and an inexperienced labor and deliver nurse caused a relatively common labor abnormality to go unrecognized, untreated and undiagnosed until it was too late.”
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