$4M Medical Malpractice Verdict in Death of One-Month-Old Baby  

By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on May 18th, 2018

The mother of a one-month-old baby who died in 2010 from whooping cough has been awarded a $4 million verdict by a Lancaster County, Pa., jury.

The woman, Michelle Goldstein, sued her baby daughter’s doctors and Lancaster Pediatric Associates for medical malpractice, alleging in her lawsuit that the doctors should have diagnosed and treated the baby’s illness earlier, which could have prevented the infant’s death, according to a May 17 story by LNP.

In her March 2016 lawsuit, Goldstein said that during multiple visits to the doctor she had described having symptoms of pertussis, or whooping cough, herself and asked that the baby be tested, the story reported.

The medical practice and two physicians, Dr. Jason Gottlieb and Dr. Steven Killough, were found liable by the jury for two visits made by the family when the baby began to show symptoms of pertussis, the report continued. Goldstein’s daughter, who was 32 days old, was too young to have received the pertussis vaccine.

The Lancaster County jury awarded Goldstein $4 million in compensatory damages. No punitive damages were awarded.

An earlier undisclosed settlement was also reached with a nurse practitioner, Betsey A. Neumann, who was named in the original suit.

These kinds of cases are a somber reminder that patients and their families must be vigilant about the medical care they receive so they know what is being done for a patient’s care every step of the way. But at the same time, patients and families aren’t doctors and they can’t know every question to ask.

That’s where skilled, expert, compassionate and thorough legal representation is needed by patients and their families who have been harmed by medical malpractice and errors or omissions during their treatment. These kinds of cases happen on a regular basis, but they can be fought by legal teams that are prepared to battle for their clients’ rights all along the way to a fair settlement or to a just verdict.

We here at MyPhillyLawyer stand ready to assist you with your legal case if you or a loved one is ever seriously injured in a similar medical malpractice, birth injury or related case anywhere in the United States. We represent the families of victims who die in such tragedies as well, to ensure that their families receive every penny of damages that they are eligible to receive.

Call MyPhillyLawyer at 215-227-2727 or toll-free at 1-(866) 352-4572 anytime and our experienced, compassionate, aggressive team of attorneys and support staff will be there for you and your family every step of the way as we manage your case through the legal system.

When Winning Matters Most, Call MyPhillyLawyer.

 

Listen to Court Radio every Sunday at 7 a.m. with me, attorney Dean Weitzman of MyPhillyLawyer, on Philadelphia’s Old School 100.3 WRNB, Boom 103.9 or on Praise 107.9 WPPZ FM. Listen to Court Radio online or on the radio every week for the latest on legal topics and to get answers to your legal questions. In addition to addressing the topical issues of the day, we’ll answer caller questions on a wide range of legal issues.