In Pennsylvania and elsewhere, the birth of a child can be stressful because so much can go wrong. Several doctors and a physician assistant are named as defendants in a medical malpractice lawsuit that was filed in another state by the husband of a woman who died only days after the premature birth of their first-born child. The mother was only 25 years old at the time of her death.
The lawsuit alleges negligence on the part of the doctors who failed to recognize the potential complications due to the patient’s history of urinary tract and kidney infections, along with the presence of bacteria in her urine prior to the induced birth. The complaint states that, on June 14, 2012, the doctors decided to induce labor due to high blood pressure and other factors. Immediately after the birth, the mother started suffering extreme pain in her abdomen.
For the next two days, she was treated with pain medication and an emergency hysterectomy was performed. Hours later, on the evening of June 17, the woman died. This reportedly followed multi-organ failure and low blood pressure. Court documents state that the hospital records along with an independent autopsy report indicate her death was caused by sepsis and a problem with blood-clotting.
It was estimated that the loss of employment income for the deceased mother is $3 million, and the amount that could be linked to pain and suffering will be determined by the jury in this case. Any Pennsylvania resident who loses a loved one at the hands of negligent medical professionals retains the right to seek recovery of damages. With the guidance of a medical malpractice attorney, a lawsuit can be filed and litigated in a civil court. The successful presentation may lead to a monetary judgment to cover financial losses and emotional damages sustained.
Source: thetimes-tribune.com, “Family of new mother seeks damages in malpractice suit“, James Halpin, Oct. 5, 2016