Chicago Family Files Cook County Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Against Evanston Hospital Over Baby Mix-Up
A Chicago couple is suing Evanston Hospital and NorthShore University HealthSystem for Cook County medical malpractice. Jennifer Spiegel is seeking at least $30,000 in Illinois personal injury damages after she was given the wrong newborn to breastfeed.
She says that a nurse woke her up at around 4am the day after delivery and told her that her “son” wanted her. While Spiegel breastfed him, a nurse walked in and saw the mix-up. Spiegel, 33, says the mistake made her feel “awful.” She also became worried that maybe her baby, Logan, had gone to someone else.
She asked for him immediately after the mistake was discovered, and he stayed in the room with her until they were discharged.
Fortunately, no one got hurt or fell ill. However, Spiegel contends that she never agreed to feed someone else’s baby. She also doesn’t know how the mix-up occurred as she, her husband, and their baby all were required to wear matching bracelets and identification numbers.
The birth of a baby is such a precious time for a family. It is the responsibility of doctors, nurses, and hospitals to make sure that the experience is free of any medical mistakes that can cause any type of injury to mother or child. Giving a child to the wrong parent to bring home is another example of a medical mix-up that can be traumatic for everyone involved. Some other kinds of medical errors that can be grounds for an Illinois medical malpractice lawsuit include delayed cesarean birth, failure to monitor the mother or child’s vitals, gynecological errors, forceps errors, and failing to deliver the infant in a timely manner.
Couple sues over being given wrong baby, Sun-Times, February 13, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Evanston Hospital, NorthShore
Medical Malpractice Overview, Justia
