Judge Awards Family $1 Billion for Hospital Negligence
A family has been awarded approximately $1 billion after a hospital in West Valley City, Utah, failed to properly manage the birth of their baby in 2019.
Recently, Judge Patrick Colm granted the family $951 million in response to incidents linked to their child’s delivery on October 14, 2019. This news was reported on Thursday.
The parents, Anyssa Zancanella and Danniel McMicheal, were present when their daughter, now five years old, faced significant risks during birth.
The Stewards previously managed the Jordan Valley Medical Center, where inexperienced nurses attended to Zancanella. There were allegations that these nurses administered excessive labor-inducing medications while the doctors were reportedly asleep.
In his decision, the judge remarked that delivering the baby in a gas station restroom would have been preferable to the conditions at the hospital. Zancanella expressed her frustration, emphasizing the distressing nature of the situation.
Currently, the family is burdened with debts from multiple creditors and is attempting to navigate claims against a hospital chain that is facing bankruptcy issues.
The couple had traveled to Salt Lake City for the delivery and were compelled to go to the hospital. Reports indicated that despite elevated blood pressure for the baby and no response from the mother to the administered Pitocin, the nurses continued treatment for several hours. The on-call doctor was allegedly informed but failed to act.
Ultimately, the baby was delivered via C-section and required airlifting to an ICU in Salt Lake City due to oxygen deprivation during labor.
This situation left the baby in a challenging state, with reports stating that she was not in optimal condition until the day after Zancanella was admitted.
According to the Birth Injury Center, oxygen deprivation can lead to severe, long-term disabilities, including conditions like cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
Now, the little girl experiences frequent seizures and has limited verbal communication, alongside cognitive challenges typical for her age. Her mother shared the deep emotional impact, saying, “She’s locked up. I know my daughter is there, but she won’t come out, so I think about it every day.”
