$15.75 Million Jury Verdict in Negligent Birth Delivery

Angelle Morley suffered from gestational diabetes. She was a high risk for having a large baby. When she became exhausted during active labor, her treating obstetrician, Dr. Ralph Dauterive, applied forceps to the baby’s head.

The baby’s left shoulder became impacted on Morley’s pubic bone. It was alleged that Dr. Dauterive used lateral traction to delivery the baby who weighed more than 9 pounds at birth.

The child is now 7 years old and has been diagnosed as having brachial plexus injury, which left him permanently disfigured and with a dysfunctional left shoulder and hand.

Morley sued Dr. Dauterive, alleging that he chose not to diagnose macrosomia, an abnormally large baby, which was indicated on an ultrasound, and that he also failed to measure fundal height.

Ms. Morley also alleged that Dr. Dauterive responded improperly to evidence of shoulder dystocia by using lateral traction instead of the McRoberts maneuver. The lawsuit also claimed that Dr. Dauterive performed the delivery in a traumatic and aggressive manner.

The jury signed a verdict for $15.75 million.

The attorneys handling this case for Morley were James d’Entremont and Sarah E. Hunter.

Morley v. Dauterive, et al., 572, 203 (La. Dist. Ct. East Baton Rouge Parish).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling birth injury lawsuits, brachial plexus injury lawsuits, wrongful death lawsuits and medical negligence cases for individuals, families and loved ones who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of a medical provider for more than 48 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Bolingbrook, Elgin, Aurora, North Barrington, Inverness, Glenview, Riverside, Morton Grove, Oak Lawn, Chicago (Rogers Park, Back of the Yards, Pilsen, Chinatown, Greek Town, Wrigleyville, North Lawndale, Andersonville), Deerfield, Orland Park and Arlington Heights, Ill.

Robert D. Kreisman has been an active member of the Illinois and Missouri bars since 1976.