Parents whose newborn infants suffer adverse health conditions obviously want the best care for their children. Sometimes, surgery is necessary to rectify a situation and provide the best treatment possible for a child. However, when one newborn was entrusted to the care of doctors and nurses, and surgical errors occurred, the result was tragic, leaving a family in a hospital outside Louisiana in a state of shock and devastation.
The couple allowed their 2-day-old son to undergo surgery when they learned he was born with a heart condition. It seems the left side of the infant’s heart was severely underdeveloped. The surgery was performed, but the doctors did not close the child’s incision site.
They said the baby’s heart was swollen, and they feared the pressure of the sutures would be too much. They waited a full 11 days before stitching the child’s body closed. When they finally completed the incision closure, they administered calcium to the baby to promote a strengthened heartbeat. Everyone was shocked when, instead of getting a stronger heartbeat, the infant’s heart stopped beating altogether.
Sadly, he died about nine days later. The court ruled that the family would be awarded $1.3 million. The cause of death was determined to be an excess of calcium in the child’s body. It is difficult to imagine the unfathomable grief experienced by parents in such situations.
If surgical errors have caused a Louisiana family to suffer the untimely death of a loved one, justice may be sought by filing a medical malpractice claim in a civil court. Of course, nothing can replace the loss of a child. Court awarded compensation can be used to help offset financial losses incurred because of the malpractice. In such situations, court rulings often lead to changes in medical regulations and protocol that can help prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
Source: philly.com, “Jury awards S1.3 million in death of baby at St. Christopher’s”, Tom Avril, Accessed on June 10, 2016
