Glen Burnie Birth Injury Victim Receives $20.6 Million Verdict, Defendant’s Appeal Rejected
Back in 2012, the family of a young boy born with severe disabilities stemming from the negligence of hospital doctors received a verdict of $20.6 million. After the trial, the defendants appealed the verdict to an appellate court. Just this month the family of the boy got word that the defendants’ appeal was denied and their verdict will be secure.
The original incident took place back in 2002 when the young boy was born prematurely and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The family of the boy filed suit against the doctors that delivered him as well as the hospital where their son was born. According to arguments at the lower court, the boy was deprived of oxygen during birth when the doctors decided to forego a cesarean section in favor of a prolonged vaginal birth.
They sought damages that would allow them to take care of their son and all the attendant medical expenses that would arise over the course of his life. They were awarded $20.6 million, most of which was designated for the future medical expenses their son will incur.
The Defendants’ Appeal Is Denied
Just this month, the defendants’ appeal to a Maryland appellate court was denied. This means that the family can count on receiving the verdict they had previously received for their son’s medical expenses.
$20.6 Million for a Lifetime of Care
With the no-fault birth-injury fund pending in the State of Maryland, some people are pointing at verdicts such as this one, claiming that they are excessive. However, what these critics fail to consider is that the total verdict amount will need to last the injured child for the rest of his life; no matter what, there is no second bite at the apple for injury victims, even if unforeseen complications arise.
The no-fault birth-injury fund would limit the amount of money that families of children born with serious birth injuries could recover by taking many forms of non-economic damages off the table, focusing only on compensatory damages. This would ultimately have the effect of reducing drastically the amount of money that birth-injury victims and their families are able to recover in Maryland birth-injury lawsuits.
Have You Given Birth to a Child with a Serious Birth Injury?
If you have recently given birth to a child who was brought into the world with a serious and preventable birth injury, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. As of right now, the laws in the State of Maryland permit the families of children born with birth injuries to recover various types of damages, such as those for past and future medical expenses, decrease in wages, and pain and suffering. However, that may change if the no-fault birth-injury fund is established into law. To learn more about how you may be able to recover for your child’s injuries, call 410-998-3600 to set up a free initial consultation with an attorney today.