One of the biggest medical malpractice lawsuits in Michigan history was settled last month when an Oakland County jury awarded a staggering sum of $130 million to a family whose child had received care at the William Beaumont hospital.
The Lawsuit
The award followed a three-week trial at Oakland County Circuit Court, but it was also followed by a claim that the hospital would appeal.
The case in question began when a two-year old child received care at the hospital in 2006. The boy was born prematurely and had issues following his birth. When he was a few weeks old the boy was admitted for a renal scan and was given an IV line. The hospital had issues administering the line and, allegedly, despite warnings from the mother that her son was turning blue, the hospital staff refused to act.
It was claimed that they didn’t check for a pulse or perform chest compressions, but that they did administer some care and bring him back around. Unfortunately, the boy suffered a severe lack of oxygen to the brain and as a result developed cerebral palsy.
The mother then became his full carer, providing assistance in every aspect of his life. The boy also suffered tremendously as a result of this hospital negligence, leading to this record-breaking claim. The lawsuit itself was not filed until 2016, when the boy was 12, but at 14 he has the care he needs and his family has the means they need to provide it.
A few major lawsuits were covered on this site before, along with a list of big payouts that included a substantial Indianapolis medical malpractice lawsuit settlement. This one takes it to another level, but at the same time, you can’t help but feel that every penny was deserved.
