wjz-13 1057-the-fan 1300logo2_67x35
WJZ Celebrates 2013 Graduates: Upload & View Photos Of Your Graduation

Local

Family Awarded Record $55M Settlement In Malpractice Suit Against Hopkins

View Comments
Fielding family, Hopkins malpractice lawsuit
Adam May 370x278

Reporting Adam May

Featured Gallery
May Is Asthma Awareness Month: Celebrities With Asthma

For more trusted health

news and information,

visit CBS Baltimore's

Popular Entertainment Photo Galleries

Guinness World RecordsGuinness World Records

Best Celebrity Baby BumpsBest Celebrity Baby Bumps

The Biggest Nerds In Pop CultureThe Biggest Nerds In Pop Culture

Celeb Hotties With Great LipsCeleb Hotties With Great Lips

Stars With Tax ProblemsStars With Tax Problems

» More Photo Galleries

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A record-setting verdict. Jurors award a Baltimore couple $55 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit against Johns Hopkins. They blame doctors for a child’s cerebral palsy.

Adam May speaks to the family.

The couple’s son has cerebral palsy, and jurors blame doctors at Johns Hopkins.

Two-year-old Enzo can’t speak, walk or even sit up on his own.

In 2010, his mother tried giving birth at home with a midwife. When the baby got stuck, she rushed to Johns Hopkins. She then waited two hours for a C-section.

“They said they were waiting for blood tests, and I remember waiting and waiting and waiting and screaming ‘Where are the blood tests?’” said Rebecca Fielding. “I just couldn’t believe how long it took for me to have my C-section.”

Fielding and her husband sued Hopkins after an expert, hired by their attorneys, concluded the delayed C-section deprived Enzo of oxygen, leading to cerebral palsy.

Now a jury has awarded them $55 million in a record-setting malpractice lawsuit.

“Urgent means urgent. The expert testimony was that the C-section should have been performed in 30-40 minutes, and the jury got it right,” said Gary Wais, plaintiff attorney.

In a statement, Hopkins says: “While we certainly sympathize with Ms. Fielding’s situation, we are frankly stunned and surprised that the jury found for the plaintiff in this case. We strongly deny the allegations and continue to firmly believe that the medical care provided to Ms. Fielding by Hopkins was entirely appropriate.”

Enzo’s parents disagree. They plan on using money from the settlement to pay for experimental medical treatments, hoping Enzo will someday do more than smile.

They also hope the verdict sends a message to the hospital.

“Whatever it is that went wrong, internally or in their minds, I hope it was a wake-up call and learning experience, and it never happens again,” Fielding said.

Because of legal caps on damages, the family will end up with $30 million. Read more about the verdict here.

Attorneys for Johns Hopkins plan to appeal to jury’s verdict.

View Comments
  • http://www.pittsburghmedicalmalpracticeattorney.org/2012/06/johns-hopkins-to-pay-55-million-in-birth-injury-lawsuit/ Johns Hopkins to pay $55 million in birth injury lawsuit

    [...] CBS Baltimore “Family Awarded Record $55M Settlement In Malpractice Suit Against Hopkins” June 26, 2012 Filed Under: Birth [...]

blog comments powered by Disqus
Listen Live!

Follow CBS Baltimore

TV Schedule

Full Program Grid
7:00 PM CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley
7:30 PM Entertainment Tonight
8:00 PM Two and a Half Men
8:30 PM Mike & Molly
9:00 PM Criminal Minds
11:00 PM Eyewitness News at 11
11:35 PM Late Show with David Letterman

Poll Of The Day

Select a Live Stream