$6 Million Settlement for Failure to Timely Deliver Twins

Ms. Doe was pregnant with twins; they shared a placenta but had their own amniotic sacs. During her pregnancy, one of the twins, Twin B, had an abnormal velamentous cord insertion and exhibited persistent absent end-diastolic flow, which indicated underlying fetal vascular stress. Velamentous cord insertion is a complication of pregnancy in which the umbilical cord is inserted in the fetal membranes. In a normal pregnancy, the umbilical cord inserts into the middle of the placenta and is surrounded by the amniotic sac.

At 24 weeks, a Doppler ultrasound revealed reverse end-diastolic flow (REDF) in Twin B’s umbilical artery. Reversal of the umbilical artery end-diastolic flow or velocity can be an ominous sign when detected after 16 weeks of pregnancy. In extreme situations, such as severe intrauterine growth restriction, the arterial blood flow can reverse directions at the end of diastole. This is referred to as a reversed end-diastolic flow.

When this condition was recognized, Ms. Doe’s treating maternal-fetal medicine specialist did not hospitalize her but continued seeing her every week until 27 weeks gestation. Two weeks later, Twin B died.

Twin A was delivered by cesarean section less than two months later. The newborn was subsequently diagnosed as having a profound brain injury resulting in severe spastic quadriparesis and optic nerve atrophy.

Ms. Doe sued the maternal-fetal specialist and a treating perinatologist whose specialties are high risk pregnancies, alleging that these defendants should have hospitalized Ms. Doe and closely monitored the twins considering the REDF.

The defendants disputed that the fetal ultrasound showed evidence of REDF. The defendants also challenged the life expectancy of the surviving twin.

Before trial, the parties settled for $6 million.

The experts for Ms. Doe were specialists in the areas of maternal-fetal medicine, forensic economics, pediatric neurology and physical medicine.

The attorneys successfully handling this case were Lawrence S. Eisenberg and Daniel M. Hodes.

Doe v. Roe Physicians, Confidential Docket.

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling birth trauma injury lawsuits, labor and delivery negligence lawsuits, maternal-fetal medicine negligence lawsuits and wrongful death 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 40 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Morton Grove, Rosemont, Franklin Park, River Forest, Elmwood Park, Stickney, South Holland, Countryside, Hinsdale, Darien, Downers Grove, Oakbrook Terrace, Berwyn, Melrose Park, Northlake, Stone Park, Chicago (Logan Square, Ukrainian Village, St. Ben’s, North Center, Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Beverly, Noble Square, West Town, Little Italy, Bridgeport, Canaryville, Douglas, Indian Village, Hyde Park, Wood Lawn, Avalon Park, Pullman, Washington Heights), Oak Lawn, Palos Heights, Crestwood, Forest Park, Riverdale and Harvey, Ill.

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