HMO Kaiser to pay $3.2 million for birthing malpractice
After binding arbitration health care company Kaiser Permanente in Orange County California will pay $3.2 million to the family of a 14-year-old girl who suffered brain damage during her birth. When Ariana Ehtemam was delivered by Caesarean section she wasn’t breathing and had to be resuscitated. Afterwards, she was hospitalized for several weeks. She now suffers from physical and behavioral issues, hearing loss, poor impulse control and attention deficits. According to the court settlement papers, the C-section wasn’t performed in a timely manner. The money from Kaiser has purchased an annuity worth $20 million over her lifetime. She will receive the first payment at 18. The money will pay for future medical expenses, ongoing rehabilitation services and any residential supervision she may need. In California, malpractice judgments are capped at $250,000 for pain and suffering. Additional monetary damages result from loss of wages and need for ongoing care.
