Todd & Weld obtains early med-mal settlement following apology from hospital
The firm obtained a $150,000 settlement on behalf of a woman who suffered post-pregnancy complications as a result of a sponge being left in her following a C-section.
The woman's baby was delivered perfectly healthy, but the medical providers left the sponge inside of her during the operation, which they failed to detect for two days. During that time, she was in severe pain, and, after a CT scan detected the sponge, underwent a second surgery to remove it a few days after delivery.
Fortunately, she recovered fully within two weeks with no infection, adhesions or other lasting complications.
The firm obtained the settlement only two months after the delivery when it arranged a meeting at the hospital among the parents, the hospital risk managers and patient safety directors, and the Ob/Gyn who delivered the baby.
At the meeting the hospital representatives and doctor openly discussed how the medical error happened and apologized for the harm it caused the woman, including preventing her from having a joyful birth experience with her first baby. They also included the parents and their attorney in discussing patient safety measures that could be implemented to prevent this avoidable complication from happening to other mothers.