Medical Malpractice – $6.5 Million Jury Verdict (New Haven, 2023)

When “Ms. R.” was admitted to Yale–New Haven Hospital at 37 weeks pregnant, her baby, AJ, already showed signs of a high-risk pregnancy. His abdomen was abnormally swollen with fluid, and he was measuring much larger than expected. Despite these warning signs, the hospital team chose to induce labor for a vaginal delivery instead of planning a C-section.

Over two days, labor was pushed along with medication, but AJ never moved down the birth canal. Instead of performing surgery, the doctors restarted induction and continued pressing for a vaginal delivery. After hours of pushing with no progress, they attempted a manual delivery. AJ became stuck. His shoulders and body could not pass through, and the umbilical cord was compressed. Before surgery could be performed, AJ died.

Our firm’s investigation revealed multiple missed opportunities: critical measurements were skipped, obvious red flags were ignored, and no intervention was made when it mattered most. We showed that AJ could have been delivered alive and healthy had a timely C-section been performed—or at the very least, had the doctors taken steps to reduce the pressure in his swollen abdomen before labor.

The jury agreed. They returned a verdict of $6.5 million, including $1.5 million for AJ’s wrongful death. At the time, it was one of the largest verdicts in Connecticut for the preventable death of a baby during childbirth.

This case was about more than a number. It was about holding a hospital accountable for ignoring clear warning signs. Ms. R. had been sent to Yale for specialized care—and we proved she deserved better.

Names and identifying details have been changed to protect client privacy.