Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer Blog

A DuPage County jury recently “awarded $11.5 million to a Bolingbrook woman who lost her unborn baby and her small intestine because of negligence by staff at Edward Hospital in Naperville.” (Chicago Tribune, Serena Maria Daniels, 10/27). The mother, a 30 year old woman, had been taken to the hospital in November of 2004 complaining of abdominal pains. At that time, she was 14 weeks pregnant and was admitted to the postpartum units where “nurses failed to monitor her deteriorating condition and that of her unborn baby.”

Despite being warned of the mother’s prior medical condition of a twisted intestine, it took several hours for medical personnel to move her into the intensive care unit. During that time, she lost consciousness, and by the time the problem was discovered both her small intestine and her baby were past the point of saving.

After a small intestine transplant, the mother will likely face major medical challenges for the remainder of her life, and with all the additional risk factors, it is unlikely she can ever have a natural child. As Chicago medical malpractice lawyers, we are happy that this family received just compensation for their grave loss.