Hospital sued after birth injuries result infant death

A medical malpractice suit has been filed against a hospital and two doctors after an infant tragically died shortly after birth, according to local sources. Delaware residents will no doubt be upset to hear a grieving couple is suing for malpractice after one of two twin boys died as a result of birth injuries stemming from negligence on the part of the health team responsible for the birth. While it is confirmed that the couple is seeking monetary compensation, the amount of their claim has not been made public. 

According to the filing, the couple gave birth to twins on August 21, 2014. During the birth, the husband, who was present, became “shocked” to see the critical condition of one of the two children. The couple has claimed the staff of the hospital failed to notice the second child’s heart rate had slowed during the birth. They say the doctors and nurses on site did not respond quickly or efficiently to the alarms, and they then tried to deliver the child by vacuum rather than other, safer methods, such as a caesarian section. 

The child was transferred to an intensive care unit shortly after delivery. The child reportedly suffered from perinatal asphyxia, a condition that usually results from a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain. The child stayed on life support for three days before the difficult decision was made to remove assisted breathing support, after which the child passed away some six hours later. The family now seeks an undisclosed amount from the hospital. 

The loss of a child, either due to birth injuries or any other cause precipitated by negligence on the part of medical staff, is an unendurable blow to a family, as Delaware residents no doubt agree. This is why every state allows grieving families who have been the victims of medical malpractice to sue for compensation. While such compensation fails to ever pay back the loss of a life, it can help a family to make final arrangements during the time of grief without the added stress of financial worries. 

Source: nj.com, “Couple sues hospital, doctors for malpractice after twin dies“, Greg Wright, July 12, 2016