Tennessee Woman Gets $38.8 Million Verdict in Birth Injury Case
The birth of a child is often a joyous occasion, but sometimes things do not go as planned. Sometimes medical professionals are negligent during labor and delivery, causing babies to suffer severe birth injuries. This happened in Tennessee, resulting in a multi-million-dollar verdict.
A Tennessee jury has awarded nearly $38.8 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit involving injuries a child allegedly suffered during labor and delivery, resulting in one of the state’s largest recent birth injury verdicts.
The woman, from Memphis, had a relatively smooth pregnancy until the day she went to Regional One to deliver her baby. She was in labor for several hours when her doctors said the baby had meconium. Despite this, elevated white blood cell count, and the baby’s heart rate fluctuating, doctors let her labor continue for hours longer.
Doctors finally agreed to a C-section delivery when the woman threatened to leave the hospital. She had asked the baby’s father to take her to a different hospital because she sensed something was wrong.
While recovering from the C-section, she learned her baby was receiving life-saving treatment. She was told her baby was critically ill and taken to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis for additional treatment after swallowing an excessive amount of meconium.
The baby was put on life support. He spent more than two months in the hospital before he was released. At 10 months old, he suffered a stroke that was likely related to his delivery. He suffered a series of medical complications that left him with lifelong effects.
The child is now 9 years old at this point and is in a special needs class in school due to intellectual delays. He has a hard time making friends his own age and in general, he struggles on a daily basis. He cannot open containers or follow multi-step instructions.
The woman sought legal help and it was an uphill battle, taking years to get the case to trial.
In April 2026, a jury heard the case against the doctors, not the hospital. The trial took 11 days, featuring pages of medical records and expert testimony.
The lawsuit alleged that healthcare providers failed to recognize signs of fetal distress and did not take timely action during labor. The plaintiffs argued that delays in treatment caused the child to suffer a permanent brain injury, leading to lifelong physical and cognitive disabilities.
The case proceeded to trial after settlement efforts were unsuccessful. Following a review of the evidence, the jury ruled in favor of the family and awarded $38.8 million in damages to cover future medical care, rehabilitation, and pain and suffering.
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While childbirth is a routine procedure in the United States, babies and mothers still frequently suffer injuries due to medical negligence.
A birth injury is a harm caused by someone’s failure to meet an established standard of care, and that distinction carries enormous legal weight. If your family has been affected, contact a Mt. Juliet birth injury lawyer from The Law Offices of Christopher Eads, PLLC. We represent families throughout Middle Tennessee who are confronting that path, providing legal knowledge and relentless case preparation. To schedule a consultation, call (615) 622-6060 or fill out the online form.
Source:
hfox13memphis.com/news/fox13-investigates-38-million-verdict-in-mid-south-woman-s-medical-malpractice-case/article_0a103dcd-1ccd-4b02-aa1a-31274b8776ff.html
