Medical Verdicts

Did excessive traction lead to paralysis?


 

Marion County (Ohio) Court of Common Pleas

An infant with shoulder dystocia was born with brachial plexus injury, resulting in partial paralysis of her right arm.

In suing, the infant-who was 15 years old at trialargued that her injuries were a result of the physician’s negligence in applying excessive downward traction.

The physician argued that the injury was caused in utero and during delivery due to uterine contractions, expulsive forces of labor, and normal traction.

  • The jury awarded the plaintiff $900,000.
The cases presented here were compiled by Lewis L. Laska, editor of Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements & Experts. While there are instances when the available information is incomplete, these cases represent the types of clinical situations that typically result in litigation.

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