Jury Awards Nearly $34 Million in Malpractice Claim Against Towson Hospital
By Steve Lash
A jury in Baltimore County Circuit Court recently awarded close to $34 million to parents whose son suffered severe brain damage after an emergency C-section at University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center in 2018. The lawsuit alleged that Tara Anderson was misdiagnosed as being in preterm labor and fetal distress after reporting lower abdominal cramping and back pain, but that medical tests showed no signs of labor or placental abruption. Ethan Anderson reportedly showed signs of brain damage shortly after delivery and will require care and support for his lifetime. The hospital and attending physician maintained the medical necessity of the emergency C-section. The family was awarded $20 million for Ethan’s future medical expenses, $3 million for his lost earning potential, $915,000 for past medical expenses, and $10 million for pain and suffering. However, Maryland’s statutory cap on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases likely will reduce the total award to $25.2 million.
Read more on The Maryland Daily Record.