Medical malpractice ends life of new mother

Prospective new parents often worry over the birth of their child. They worry about the baby’s health, size, their unknown arrival and more. Often, new parents overlook that child birth can also be risky for the mother. With today’s technology and frequent prenatal visits, the health of the mother is often monitored closely. Unfortunately, despite advances with prenatal care, medical malpractice in Louisiana still occurs.

In another state, a 25-year-old woman delivered a healthy baby boy. Despite the baby arriving earlier than his due date, he was medically stable. Unfortunately, she died three days after the baby’s arrival. The woman’s husband filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the hospital.

The lawsuit was first presented to a jury in court but concluded in a mistrial. The lawsuit alleged that the woman died from an undiagnosed urinary tract infection despite presenting signs and symptoms of one. UTI’s not treated can spread throughout the body causing sepsis. Sepsis is a late stage of infection and can be fatal. The medical center counteracted the lawsuit arguing that the woman died from pre-eclampsia which can also injure the body’s organs.

After the mistrial, the lawsuit was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. The woman’s death left a new father without a wife and a baby boy without a mother. Along with navigating parenthood without a partner, the husband also faced unexpected funeral expenses and possible loss of  the deceased’s income. Louisiana residents who have lost a loved one as a result of possible medical malpractice may benefit from speaking with an experienced attorney about their litigation options in civil court.

Source: thetimes-tribune.com, “Malpractice suit over mother’s death settled“, James Halpin, Dec. 30, 2016