$1,000,000 Settlement for Wrongful Birth / Failure to Discern Medical History
- Date: Winter 2009
- Attorney: Carol L. Forte
- Settlement: $1,000,000
- Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice, Wrongful Birth, Medical History, Prenatal Diagnosis
In this case, the defendant obstetrician failed to discern that our client’s medical history included a maternal congenital heart defect. Had that information been known, an echocardiogram would have been ordered during the prenatal period. That echocardiogram would have revealed that the fetus had a multitude of serious heart defects, and the parents would have been afforded an opportunity to terminate the pregnancy. The child was born with extremely severe heart abnormalities, has required multiple surgical procedures, extensive medical treatment, and will have very significant lifelong medical problems.