Mother Reaches $6,150,000 Settlement With Doctor For Not Immediately Treating Newborn's Infection

Mother Reaches $6,150,000 Settlement With Doctor For Not Immediately Treating Newborn's Infection

When a newborn with a Group B Strep infection does not immediately receive antibiotics the consequences can be devastating. Given this it is critical for doctors to check out GBS if a newborn exhibits indications of an infection and either rule it out with diagnostic testing or follow the treatment protocol. It is therefore crucial that physicians quickly diagnose a newborn with symptoms of a Group B Strep infection and administer antibiotics right away.

Consider a published lawsuit where antibiotics for GBS were intravenously given to an expectant mother during labor. This is standard protocol for women with a history of Group B Strep colonization during the pregnancy, a prior pregnancy, or if screened while in weeks thirty-fifth through thirty-seven of the current pregnancy. Nevertheless, even with this prophylactic use of antibiotics while the mother was in labor, it is nevertheless possible for the baby to develop Group B Strep. The mother's baby appeared healthy at birth. Bur, 6 weeks later the baby developed signs of infection. The mother took the child to a pediatrician who observed that the child had a high fever. The physician, unfortunately, failed to review the prenatal records although she had access to them.

Without seeing the prenatal records the physician merely ordered testing so as to figure out what was causing the baby's high fever. While the physician waited for the results of the tests she ordered. She did not, however, give antibiotics for a group b streptococcus infection. The baby developed meningitis. The newborn also suffered a series of strokes. Because of this the baby ended up with an untreatable seizure disorder and with mental retardation.

The law firm that represented the mother and her newborn got the pediatrician to acknowledge that she would have given antibiotics right away should have known that the baby had prior exposure to the group b streptotoccus bacteria. The case was reported as settled by the law firm for the amount of $6.15 Million.

If there is a chance that symptoms could be the result of a dangerous underlying condition, for example a group b streptococcus infection, which can result in long lasting disabilities for the baby unless antibiotics are given right away a doctor is expected to take them into account as a possibility except if the doctor is able to establish a different cause If the physician fails to consider a GBS infection as part of the differential diagnosis and this leads to a delay in treatment with ensuing tragic consequences the physician may be liable for malpractice and be entitled to compensation for the damages sustained by the baby to protect the child's future such as by paying for future medical costs and living expenses (when the child's disability will prohibit the child from ever being gainfully employed)

http://www.articlesbase.com/law-articles/mother-reaches-6150000-settlement-with-doctor-for-not-immediately-treating-newborns-infection-2787443.html

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