Personal Injury Law

Wrongful Death of Unborn Child Leads to $11.5 Million Jury Verdict

By Steven M. Levin and John J. Perconti

The Chicago Tribune reported last week on a verdict in a new medical malpractice lawsuit because of the conduct of staff members at Edward Hospital in Naperville.

The Chicago-area medical negligence medical affected a young thirty year old patient and her unborn child several years ago. The victim was 14 weeks pregnant when she was rushed to the hospital with abdominal pains. Edward Hospital staff members brought her to the postpartum unit but received little to no care while there. The nurses in the unit failed to monitor any changes in her condition or the growing problems with her unborn child. This lackluster care was given even though she told her medical caregivers that she had suffered a twisted intestine when she was a child.

It was only several hours after arriving that the victim lost consciousness and medical officials finally took action. By that time, however, her child was dead and her small intestine was beyond saving. She required a small intestine transplant a month later at a different hospital. However, she will suffer medical issues for the rest of her life because of the medical mistake.

Even more distressing the ongoing medical problems will have severe complications for any of the woman?s future pregnancy attempts. Her attorney explained, ?With all the risk factors, the risks are too great to have a natural child.?

Our Chicago medical malpractice attorneys at Levin & Perconti continue to represent victims of inadequate medical care like this in hopes that future medical care will improve. It is only when problems are brought to the attention of the hospital and the mistakes are corrected that progress can actually be made to improve medical care at all times for all patients. If you have questions about the quality of care you or a loved one received at a local hospital, please contact a medical malpractice lawyer.

Full post as published by Illinois Medical Malpractice Blog on October 31, 2010 (boomark / email).