Gault v. Norwood: 2nd largest medical malpractice verdict in history. Famous heart surgeon William Norwood performed an unauthorized surgical procedure on Stephen Gault, rendering him severely brain damaged and in permanent need of lifelong care. Norwood operated on a healthy baby's narrow aorta, but performed an unnecessary procedure, stopping the baby's heart and blood flow. Cooling the body too quickly caused irreversible brain damage, leaving the child unable to walk, talk, or care for himself. The $55 million verdict allowed Gault's family to provide him the care he needed.
If medical professionals do not carefully monitor the conditions surrounding the pregnancy, it is possible for the baby to experience a birth injury such as a placental abruption. The placenta helps nourish and feed the growing baby during pregnancy. Sometimes, the placenta begins to detach from the uterus before delivery, endangering the baby. If a placental abruption develops, but remains undiagnosed and untreated, it can cause the mother to hemorrhage and withhold oxygen from the baby's brain. This can result in tragic injuries and medical complications. Don't hesitate to enlist the help of the Philadelphia birth injury attorneys from The Beasley Firm if this has happened to you and your child. Since 1958, our firm has more than $2 billion in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients, demonstrating our consistency and commitment to excellence over the decades. No other firm in Pennsylvania has this level of success. We leave no stone unturned in our investigations and have secured tens of millions of dollars for birth injury victims specifically.
The Beasley Firm is here for you. Call now to speak with legal and medical experts who can guide you through this difficult time.
It is believed that a placental abruption occurs in approximately nine out of one thousand pregnancies and usually takes place in the third trimester, or last three months of pregnancy. Certain prenatal risk factors can cause a pregnant mother to be at a higher risk of developing a placental abruption.
Take a look at these maternal risk factors:
Any pregnant women with one or more of these risk factors coupled with vaginal bleeding, an enlarging abdomen, uterine tenderness, abdominal pain, back pain, continuous contractions, hard abdomen, decreased fetal movement or fetal heart rate changes should see a physician right away.
Placental abruption treatments depend on how large the abruption is, the quantity of blood lost by the mother, and the health and well-being of the unborn baby. If the pregnancy is less than 36 weeks gestation, and neither the mother nor baby is in distress, the pregnancy may be monitored until there is a development that becomes worrisome or the baby reaches fetal maturity.
An undiagnosed or untreated large placental abruption could lead to the following:
Treatment is urgent and requires the full attention of medical staff.
Here at The Beasley Firm, we have experienced on-staff physicians and neonatal intensive care (NICU) and labor and delivery nurses who have treated and cared for women who developed placental abruptions. To date, we have had two of the largest medical malpractice verdicts in Pennsylvania history; $100 million and $55 million. If you believe that your baby suffered an injury or death due to a failure to diagnose or properly treat a placental abruption, please contact our Philadelphia birth injury lawyers. We are highly qualified to investigate your case and uncover the necessary facts to recover the just compensation you and your child deserve. Our track record of success and commitment to our clients have led to legendary results for The Beasley Firm. Trust your case to us today.
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