Ohio’s Wexner Medical Center settles birth injury claim

Several weeks ago in this Cleveland Medical Malpractice blog, we discussed some of the risks associated with the drug Pitocin. Pitocin is sometimes administered in order to induce labor. There are numerous dangerous side effects related to Pitocin, and as we have previously mentioned it is critical for health care practitioners to explain these risks to their patients.

A medical malpractice lawsuit involving Pitocin was recently settled by Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. The settlement is the second-largest medical malpractice claim that the center has ever paid. The hospital has agreed to pay $5.25 million to an area couple who have birth to a son at Wexner in 2006. The baby boy reportedly suffered brain damage during birth due to a poorly managed labor, and he continues to require 24-hour care as a result of this.

According to The Columbus Dispatch, the boy’s mother gave birth via an emergency cesarean section about 14 hours after she was admitted to the hospital while in the early stages of labor. The infant suffered a brain injury because the obstetrician took too long to decide that a C-section was necessary, in addition to managing the labor poorly, the medical-negligence claim stated.

Doctors who testified in this case also criticized the administration of Pitocin during this labor. The Pitocin decreased the supply of both oxygen and blood to the baby.

When a baby or a mother is injured during labor as the result of negligence, it is wise to seek legal counsel. In many cases it may be possible to hold negligent medical professionals accountable for failing to meet the accepted standards of care, causing a birth injury. This can result in compensation for future medical and care expenses, as well as damages for pain and suffering and a reduced quality of life.

Source: The Columbus Dispatch, “Brain injury during birth costs Ohio State hospital $5.25 million,” Ben Sutherly, June 28, 2013