When a child needs medical treatment, his or her parents may be very apprehensive about any invasive procedures. This fear is understandable as there are instances in which surgical mistakes could occur and cause serious damage. Ohio residents may be interested in a case that took place in another state in which a child was permanently affected by such errors.
Reports stated that the now 6-year-old boy had an issue with his esophagus when he was born, and he underwent surgery to correct the issue. That procedure was apparently completed successfully, but the same surgeon later performed more operations on the child that were considered “experimental surgeries.” During these procedures, the doctor severed the young boy’s pulmonary artery, which resulted in severely negative outcomes and injuries for the child.
It was reported that the boy suffered brain damage and has cerebral palsy as a result of the doctor’s actions. A claim was filed against the doctor and hospital where he worked. It was recently reported that the child’s mother accepted a settlement of $30 million. The hospital stated that the amount should provide for a lifetime of care for the boy.
As this case shows, surgical mistakes could lead to permanent injuries for children and adults alike. Therefore, if Ohio residents have been negatively affected by such errors, they may wish to consider their legal options. Filing a medical malpractice claim against the parties considered responsible for serious injuries could allow victim’s of medical mistakes to pursue compensation for bills, future care and other damages permitted under applicable laws.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times, “$30 million settlement in malpractice case against surgeon, Rush“, Frank Main, Feb. 22, 2016