A family has been awarded almost $1 billion following the exposure of how a hospital managed their baby’s delivery.
According to a recent report, Azaylee, 5, is expected to endure lifelong disabilities due to negligence by the hospital.
In a noteworthy decision, Third District Judge Patrick Corum in Salt Lake County remarked that the mother, Anyssa Zancanella, “would have been better off delivering this baby at the bathroom of a gas station, or in a hut somewhere” rather than in a hospital, traditionally seen as a safe environment.
While vacationing in Salt Lake City in October 2019, Zancanella and the baby’s father, Danniel McMichael, experienced an unexpected early arrival from Azaylee.
They had no choice but to go to the nearest hospital, where they encountered nurses who had only completed their training on the day of her admission.
The nurses, described as ‘inexperienced,’ were accused of not responding to distress signs in the baby and administering Zancanella ‘excessive’ amounts of the labor-inducing drug Pitocin.
The family’s lawsuit stated that despite the nurses alerting a more seasoned doctor about the baby’s alarming blood pressure and the mother’s fever, the on-call doctor opted to go back to sleep in a nearby room.
Experts suspect the baby suffered oxygen deprivation and resultant brain damage due to a cesarean section delivery.
The extent of the damage means Azaylee will face lifelong disabilities.
After her c-section delivery, Azaylee had a ‘misshapen head,’ ‘swollen’ face, and visible bruising.
The child now requires constant care due to frequent seizures, with lawyers indicating that her cognitive and executive functions are below what would be expected for her age.
Health professionals believe she might never be capable of working, driving, or pursuing education at school or college.
“She is trapped. I know that my daughter is in there, but she can’t come out and I think of that every day,” said Zancanella.
This month, Judge Corum awarded the family $951 million after determining Steward Health Care’s liability in the tragic event.
“The person [Azaylee] was to be, the person she deserved to be, is trapped inside a brain-damaged child,” Corum stated. “I cannot think of anything more profound, total or complete than that loss.”
However, the family may face challenges in obtaining the compensation, as the hospital chain is bankrupt. Their legal team is hoping to secure at least half of the awarded sum.
The LADbible Group has reached out to Steward Health Care for their response.