$1.83 Million Jury Verdict for Failure to Timely Treat Jaundice Leading to Cerebral Palsy of Newborn

Two weeks after Baby Doe’s premature birth, she developed signs of jaundice. Seven hours later, a check of her bilirubin revealed a severely elevated level of 29. The attending doctor ordered retesting of the bilirubin level but did not order any treatment.

Hours later, when a second bilirubin test showed a level of 27.1, the same doctor was notified by nurses of the out-of-balance level. By the next morning, the child’s bilirubin level increased to 32.1. Another physician began treating Baby Doe the next morning and ordered phototherapy, which began more than 17 hours after Baby Doe’s first bilirubin test was reported to the first doctor. Phototherapy is the usual treatment for jaundiced newborns.

Baby Doe suffered kernicterus resulting from severe jaundice. Kernicterus is a kind of brain damage caused by excessive jaundice, just as Baby Doe had endured. Baby Doe is now 10 years old. She suffers from cerebral palsy and cannot speak or walk. The Doe family sued the health system that employed the doctors involved alleging that they chose not to timely test Baby Doe’s bilirubin level at the first signs of jaundice and chose not to timely treat the jaundice. That failure caused the child’s permanent and severe injuries.

The parties reached a settlement of $5.85 million. The details of the parties remain confidential. This settlement proceeds undoubtedly will be needed in every way for the ongoing care of this child who was so needlessly harmed by the neglect of the medical providers involved.

The attorneys successfully representing the Doe family were Bloomfield Hills, Mich., attorneys Jesse M. Reiter, Rebecca Walsh and Jennifer Secorski. The Reiter & Walsh law firm specializes in birth trauma and birth injury lawsuits representing families and loved ones across the country who have suffered birth trauma injuries.

Doe v. Roe Health System, (Confidential Docket).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling birth trauma injury cases, wrongful death lawsuits and brain injury cases for individuals, families and loved ones who have been injured, harmed or killed by the carelessness or negligence of a medical provider for more than 40 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Alsip, Riverdale, Calumet City, Orland Park, Lemont, Western Springs, Hinsdale, Aurora, St. Charles, Geneva, Hillside, Franklin Park, Frankfurt, Elk Grove Village, Northbrook, Chicago (McKinley Park, Morgan Park, Ravenswood, Pilsen, Portage Park, Printer’s Row, Pulaski Park, Wrigleyville, Wicker Park, South Chicago, River North, Streeterville, Kilbourn Park, Logan Square), Cicero, Joliet and Romeoville, Ill.