$2.85 Million Settlement for Birth Injury

A child born in July 1991 received a $2.85 million settlement for medical malpractice which occurred prior to his birth. The mother, who was 16 years old at the time, was a clinic patient at a Middlesex County New Jersey hospital. When she went into labor she was managed by a team of residents who failed to appreciate that the fetal heart tracings, her elevated temperature and prolonged labor pattern required consultation with an attending and prompt delivery by cesarean section. When an attending was ultimately involved, there was a further delay in proceeding to delivery as a result of an attempted forceps delivery, which failed. The child when born, was hypoxic and developed seizures. He went onto be significantly developmentally delayed and requires special education and medication to control seizures. Blume Donnelly partner, Michael Zerres, represented the boy and his family.