Wisconsin parents Chad and Amy Jelinek have been awarded $11.4 million by the jury in their lawsuit. Their baby son, Laine, was born with brain damage which resulted in cerebral palsy, caused by the negligence of the midwife (a registered nurse), who failed to deliver the baby in a timely manner, according to the lawsuit.

Families can use lawsuit awards to pay medical expenses

Many families like the Jelineks have found that jury awards or settlements in birth injury cases are a tremendous help in paying for medical expenses, physical therapy, or specialized care that their injured child may require over a lifetime. An experienced birth injury lawyer can win a large award or settlement on behalf of a child .

Many other families have received awards or settlements in the millions

With the help of their lawyer, many families have received large awards or birth injury settlements like the Jelineks. In 2009, a similar lawsuit filed in Bismarck, North Dakota charged that a baby’s brain damage and resulting cerebral palsy was caused by a negligent midwife, who should have delivered the baby hours before he was born. The tragic delay led to hypoxia – a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain – which caused brain damage. The parents were awarded a multi-million dollar award by the jury.

In 2002, a baby died allegedly due to failure to properly monitor the baby and mother during labor and delivery. The baby was not able to take in enough oxygen due to a microscopic pathological defect. The parents sued and were awarded $1,625,000 for medical costs, pain and suffering.

Another wrongful death suit was filed in 1009 in Bowling Green, Kentucky by Amanda and Chris Thurman, who claimed that their baby’s death was likewise caused by failure to properly monitor the baby and mother. Amanda Thurman’s blood type was incompatible with her baby’s – a fact that came to light during the pregnancy – yet the doctors did not monitor the situation properly, and the baby developed fetal hydrops, which caused the infant’s death.

Any parent who believes their baby’s injury, health problems, or death was caused by physician negligence should consult with a knowledgeable birth injury lawyer, who can help to win justified compensation for pain, suffering, and medical costs.