Jury Enters $10.93 Million Verdict for Doctor’s Failure to Take Adequate History of Pregnant Patient

J.B. was 35 years old and in her 26th week of her third pregnancy when she developed a severe headache and abdominal cramping. J.B. called her treating obstetrician’s office and later spoke to an on-call physician. That doctor diagnosed a gastrointestinal issue and told J.B. that there was no need for her to go to the hospital.

About 14 hours later, J.B. suffered a stroke. She now suffers from cognitive impairment and paralysis in her right arm, leg and foot. She had been a factory worker earning about $37,000 a year, but now is unable to work at all.

J.B. and her husband sued the obstetrician and her practice, alleging that she chose not to take a full and appropriate history, which would have revealed that J.B.’s abdominal pain was located exclusively in her upper right quadrant, indicative of preeclampsia.

In addition, J.B. and her husband contended that the defendant obstetrician should have considered preeclampsia in her differential diagnosis. They maintained that J.B. had a history of pregnancy-induced hypertension, was suffering from a form of preeclampsia, and her doctor should have sent her to a local hospital for an immediate evaluation.

The jury’s verdict was for $10,093,000 for the permanent injury suffered by J.B. and the loss of consortium on the claim of her husband.

The attorneys representing J.B. and her husband were Anthony E. Turley and Gregg A. Peppel.

J.B. v. Maumee OB-GYN, No. CI-2012-06637 (Ohio Ct. Com. Pleas Lucas County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling birth injury cases, obstetrician negligence cases and medical malpractice matters for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of a medical provider for more than 38 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Sauk Village, Schaumburg, Schiller Park, South Chicago Heights, South Holland, Streamwood, Riverdale, Park Ridge, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Forest Park, Park Forest, Lansing, Justice, Hoffman Estates, Hazelcrest, Harwood Heights, Glenwood, Alsip, Arlington Heights, Bedford Park, Bensenville, Joliet, Chicago (Archer Heights, Lawndale, Little Village, Ashburn, Gresham, Washington Heights, Beverly, Riverdale), Oak Lawn and Worth, Ill.

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