Soon to be parents trust medical providers to utilize all of their extensive knowledge, skill and available technology to detect any potential problems and to make sure that the birthing process is carried out smoothly and properly. If there is an oversight or a mistake during the delivery process, serious, life-long injuries can result. Medical mistakes during a birth put the life of the mother and her child at risk. When that happens, the doctors involved in the medical malpractice may be held accountable for the personal injuries they cause.
This was, unfortunately, the case for one Ohio mother. Debra Cobb was about to give birth to her daughter, Haley, and was under the care of Dr. Tara Shipman. There was a complication, however; during Haley’s birth, she was deprived of oxygen for an extended period of time. According to lawyersandsettlments.com, this resulted in Haley being born with cerebral palsy, a muscle disorder that impairs a person’s ability to see, hear, swallow, move, and speak. Several years after her birth, Haley’s family claims she is unable to eat or drink without help and cannot sit up on her own.
Debra Cobb filed a personal injury lawsuit against Dr. Shipman. The lawsuit alleged that Dr. Shipman was negligent by failing to perform a caesarian section after there were warning signs that it was going to be a complicated birth. The lawsuit claimed that if Dr. Shipman ordered a caesarian section, Haley’s injuries would not have occurred. As a result of Haley’s cerebral palsy, the Cobb family has had to pay for specialized care professionals, which is going to cost them millions of dollars over the course of Haley’s life. An Ohio jury agreed that Dr. Shipman was negligent, by failing to order a caesarian section during the birth, and awarded a total of $13.9 million in damages to the Cobb family.
If you or your child have been injured during a birthing delivery, you may be able to hold the hospital or doctor accountable. Contact our Massachusetts birthing injury attorneys to learn about your legal options. Please email us at info@gilhoylaw.com or call any time of day at 617-787-3700.