When you have a child, you want your child to be happy and healthy. If a doctor makes a mistake that puts your child’s life at risk, you have every right to be upset and to pursue a claim. Medical negligence can and does take lives or cause serious injuries that are difficult to live with.

That happened in this case involving a newborn at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. Filed in Luzerne County, the parents of an 8-month-old girl allege that the child’s mother was 39 weeks pregnant when she was admitted to the hospital in active labor. They were unaware of any potential hazards to the pregnancy.

The staff was aware that the woman had previously had a Cesarean section. That put her at risk for a uterine rupture if she attempted to deliver vaginally. Typically, hospitals prepare for an emergency C-section and carefully monitor mothers who choose to have a vaginal birth following a Cesarean.

The attending obstetrician had ordered for continuous monitoring, but the nurse disconnected the fetal monitor without consent. The mother had needed to use the bathroom. In approximately 13 minutes, the time the woman was away from the monitor, her pain went from an 8 to a 10. At that point, it should have been clear that a uterine rupture was likely. The fetal heart rate had dropped to dangerous levels.

The attending obstetrician ordered an emergency C-section only after the woman said she was in too much pain when trying to push. Following the delivery, she had a partial uterine rupture. The baby suffered permanent brain damage.

This and other situations like it may have been avoided with better care given to monitoring the patient. If you’re injured, your have a right to look into your legal options.

Source: Times Leader, “Lawsuit: Geisinger negligence led to baby’s brain damage,” Joe Dolinsky, July 13, 2017