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Negligence leads to fatal fetal injury

August 8th, 2018
On behalf of David Bowling of The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm, A Professional Law Corporation posted in Birth Injuries on Wednesday, August 8, 2018.

Pregnancy is, for many Louisiana residents, something to be celebrated. For many people, having a child is a part of what makes their families complete. Soon-to-be parents, especially first-time parents, can sometimes be overly cautious because any illness that the mother suffers has the potential to affect the unborn child. One mother’s unborn child suffered an ultimately fatal fetal injury because doctors failed to properly treat her illness.

In 2012, a 23-year-old woman went to a local hospital complaining of pain in her right side as well as a urinary tract infection. Doctors determined that the patient was suffering from kidney stones. However, even though an ultrasound revealed several kidney stones and she was still experiencing other symptoms, the young woman was released within 24 hours of seeking medical help without any antibiotics. These symptoms included increased heart rate, fever and nausea.

The day after she arrived home, the expectant mother awoke with a rapid heartbeat as well as a high fever. She was taken to an emergency room where doctors diagnosed and treated sepsis caused by the untreated urinary tract infection. Although the patient eventually recovered, her 14-week-old fetus did not. The woman and her husband were awarded $1.36 million in damages.

Many expectant mothers fear that their unborn children will suffer a fetal injury that will permanently affect their lives. Few wish to even consider the possibility of losing the child altogether. Louisiana residents who believe that they have been victims of medical malpractice could benefit from speaking with an attorney.

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