Washington Mother Sues OHSU for Son’s Birth Injuries

Allegedly, the OHSU doctors persisted with the decision for Cates to deliver her child vaginally, even though she was having a difficult delivery. As soon as the boy was born, he began suffering seizures and was diagnosed with severe brain injury and cerebral palsy before the day was over.

According to the medical reports, the brain damage was caused by the lack oxygen the boy received upon birth. Cates alleges that these injuries were the result after a series of mistakes by the OHSU medical team attending to her.  

Cates knew that her son was in breech position after an ultrasound appointment, and originally planned to have a caesarian section in a Seattle hospital. To make sure her child would arrive into the world as safely as possible, she started researching child birth processes in hospitals.  

In her research, Cates soon came across the OHSU website, which indicated its expertise in helping women deliver breech babies vaginally. It is uncommon for hospitals to vaginally deliver breech babies because most doctors believe a vaginal birth would cause the baby to pass through the birth canal too slowly, putting the mother at risk. 

Despite the risk, Cates consulted with an OHSU doctor, and she and her husband were led to believe there would be no complications in delivering her baby. Cates was originally scheduled to have a C-section in a Seattle hospital, but switched her choice of hospital in favor of a vaginal birth. With her son’s birth around the corner, she checked into OHSU on September 19, 2011.

However, after experiencing an excruciating birth and seeing the debilitating consequences to her son, Cates and her husband have filed a birth injury lawsuit, seeking $25.6 million in economic and punitive damages.  

Malpractice birth injuries occur to an infant at some point during the birthing process, which cause the infant permanent and debilitating disabilities. One of the most common birth injuries is cerebral palsy. Most birth injuries stem from decisions that doctors or other medical practitioners make during the mother’s labor, which cause unintentional damage to the mother and child.  

Regardless of the nature of the birth injury, medical practitioners must make reasonable and responsible for the mother and child during the delivery process. When malpractice birth injuries do occur, the parents often seek out damages against the hospital and its doctors for causing the birth injuries.

File a Birth Injury Malpractice Lawsuit Today

If you believe that you or a loved one have been the victim of a malpractice birth injury, you have legal options. Please visit the Malpractice Birth Injury Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. There, you can submit your claim for a free legal review and if it qualifies for legal action, a seasoned birth injury lawyer will contact you for a free, no-obligation consultation. You will be guided through the litigation process at no out-of-pocket expenses or hidden fees.  The birth injury attorneys working this investigation do not get paid until you do.