A Cook County, Ill., jury awarded $55.5 million to Shamond Butler, 20, a man who suffered brain injuries during his birth at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Oct. 12.
Mr. Butler cannot speak, read or understand rules and safety. He requires around-the-clock care, a result of the negligence of UIC Hospital, his lawyer, Matthew Patterson, says.
According to Mr. Patterson, when Shanette Slater, Mr. Butler's mother, was admitted to UIC Hospital, she was not seen for six to seven hours. Eventually, UIC clinicians gave Ms. Slater Pitocin, which causes contractions. However, it cut off the oxygen supply to her child, causing Mr. Butler's heart rate to become elevated.
When Mr. Butler was delivered the next morning via emergency C-section, he spent eight days on life support. His lawyer contends that the defendants in the case, Monique Schoenhage, MD, and Michelle Kominiarek, MD, should have stopped Picotin and treated Ms. Slater with antibiotics.
According to the complaint, neither defendant was board-certified at the time of the incident, and the hospital failed to provide them the resources they needed to treat Ms. Slater. The $55.5 million will fund Mr. Butler's future medical care and general well-being.
"While we empathize with the family and respect the legal process, we have full confidence in the care provided at our hospital and clinics," a UIH spokesperson told Becker's. "Delivering high quality, compassionate care to our patients and families continues to be our primary focus."