Parents file medical malpractice suit after toddler’s death

There is no greater joy for a parent than the arrival of their new baby. On the over hand, however, the emotional devastation for parents who have experienced the death of a child is unimaginable. These emotions are likely heightened if they feel that additional medical care could have prevented that child’s death. Parents in Maryland who feel their child is a victim of medical malpractice has the right to seek legal recourse in a civil court just as a parents who are still reeling from the death of their toddler are in the process of doing.

The mother of the child, and a plaintiff in a recent lawsuit, was diagnosed with a disease in 2008 that could cause blood clots. The disorder also has the potential to complicate pregnancy. When the couple’s son was born, prematurely, he was found to have blood clots in his lungs. The couple feels that the blood clots resulted from a failure to diagnose their unborn son with same disease the mother has.

The lawsuit claims that the medical facilities failure to diagnose their unborn son, as well as to provide adequate prenatal treatment regarding the disorder, ultimately led to their son’s death when he was two. The plaintiffs are requesting over $200,000 in damages. The medical center has declined to comment on the ongoing lawsuit.

Beyond the emotional aspects of the death of a loved as a result of medical malpractice, there are additional, more tangible, ramifications. For example, the family is likely facing several expenses including medical bills and funeral expenses. Additionally, they may have missed wages as a result of providing care for their son instead of working. By filing a civil suit in a Maryland court, parents can attempt to recover these expenses, allowing them to focus on coping with the death of their loved one instead of worrying about how to pay bills.

Source: wlsam.com, Parents sue Northwestern Memorial Hospital over child’s death, No author, Sept. 6, 2013