$20 Million Suit Filed for Wrongful Birth Case
When a sonogram that showed fetus abnormalities was sent to an incorrect doctor, it caused tragic problems for a Baltimore couple. The case of mistaken identity meant that the actual obstetrician didn’t have the chance to overlook the sonogram or warn the mother of her baby’s problems early on. The mother only found out a few days before prematurely delivering her son, who was born with a hole in his diaphragm and suffered other complications.
Due to these issues, the baby’s lifetime of care is estimated to cost the couple in excess of $20 million. The couple retained Michael B. Snyder of The Law Office of Snyder & Snyder, P.A. to represent them. He found that the lack of information prevented the couple from making an informed decision earlier in the pregnancy. Had the family been informed earlier, they would say that they would have made the difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy.
The defendants in the case are American Radiology Services, The John Hopkins Health System Corp, and Dr. Karen Y. Perkins.
Second Sonogram Sent to Wrong Doctor
The mother began seeing the doctor in December of 2008. She received her first sonogram at American Radiology during this month as well. While the first sonogram went fine, the second was not handled correctly. In March of 2009, the woman had a second sonogram that showed fetal abnormalities, including the possibility of the fetus’ stomach being in his chest cavity. However, this second sonogram was sent to a Karen E. Perkins, a family practice doctor located in Baltimore instead of Dr. Karen Y. Perkins.
When Dr. Perkins called American Radiology several days later to find out the results, she was told that everything looked normal and ok. In early July, the mother experienced contractions and had a sonogram that showed an abnormal amount of amniotic fluid. This time, an ultrasound showed a hole in the baby’s diaphragm and noted that the stomach appeared to be in the chest.
It was then that the family learned about the mix-up with the March sonogram and that their son would likely need surgery right after birth. The baby experienced liver and kidney failure, had to have the hole in his diaphragm repaired at two weeks old, and suffered other ailments.
$10 Million Suit Brought Against Hopkins
The second case the firm filed involved another lawsuit against Hopkins. This one involved a woman who experienced a botched surgical procedure that left her partially paralyzed. In 2009, Elizabeth Wright received treatment for bleeding that was occurring in her lungs. A month later, the problem resurfaced and she had to return to Hopkins.
Doctors tried to seal off arteries that were supplying blood to the lungs again. During the procedure, tests showed that this process was affecting blood flow to the spinal artery. Despite this danger, the surgeons continued their attempts to seal off the lung arteries. Instead, they closed the spinal artery, costing the woman the use of her left leg. She also has numbness on her left side as well.
According to the suit, the woman is confined to a wheelchair and will face long-term care costs and lost wages that exceed $10 million.
Standing Up for Victims of Medical Negligence & Malpractice
Attorney Snyder is proud to provide reliable and qualified representation to clients whose lives have been seriously affected by the negligence of medical professionals.
“In both cases, the injuries were absolutely preventable had the health care providers acted within the standards of care,” said Snyder.