A $27 million settlement was obtained for a girl (Twin A), now age 8, who suffered serious, permanent injuries during delivery at a Chicago area hospital. Her mother underwent a Pitocin induction of labor to deliver her twins due to an ultrasound finding of poor growth in Twin B. During the induction, Twin A’s fetal heart monitor strips were normal. On November 6, 2013, an emergency C-section was performed due to significant heart rate decelerations on Twin B’s fetal monitor strips. The attending obstetrician, an obstetrical resident, and a surgical assistant performed the emergency C-section delivery. Twin A was in the headfirst position, and her head was engaged deep in the pelvis. Twin B was in the buttocks first position. Twin A had to be delivered first to be able to deliver Twin B. Twin A came out severely depressed and required extensive resuscitation. She was diagnosed with a skull fracture and bleeding in multiple areas of her brain. Twin A was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and has permanent neurological injuries affecting her mobility and cognition.
Clifford Law Offices attorneys Robert A. Clifford, Susan A. Capra, Keith A. Hebeisen, and Joseph T. Murphy, represented the family. According to Capra, partner at Clifford Law Offices, “Twin A’s severe injuries were totally preventable if she had not sustained trauma to her head during the delivery. She will require a lifetime of expensive medical care and caretaking”. The birth injury case was settled just before jury selection.