Onstad Blog

Jun 23

Written by: Rock Onstad
6/23/2011 12:36 PM 

 

            A prolapsed cord usually occurs without advance warning. It usually occurs after the mother’s bag of waters ruptures spontaneously or is artificially ruptured. It is usually discovered by a vaginal exam on the mother by a labor and delivery nurse.
 
            The reason a prolapsed cord is a dire emergency is that the blood supply (and oxygen supply) to the fetus become compromised due to the cord being compressed and occluded. The fetus’ brain will be damaged if that blood supply is compromised for too long a period. All nurses and doctors providing labor and delivery services know that time is of the essence to maintain blood supply to the fetus and to emergently deliver the fetus within 15 minutes.
 
            The standard and routine response for a prolapsed cords is:
 
·         When the prolapsed cord is discovered during a vaginal exam, “Do Not Remove the Examining Hand.”
·         Hold the presenting part away from the cord to prevent the cord from being occluded.
·         Summon help without leaving the patient.
·         Notify physician immediately.
·         Place the patient in the trendelburg or knee/chest position.
·         Administer oxygen at 8-10 liters per minute via face mask.
·         Monitor fetal heart rate continuously.
·         Transport to C-section room with examiner’s hand continuing to hold the presenting part away from the cord. The examiner should not remove the hand until the baby is delivered and should immediately report to the physician any cessation of pulsing in the cord.
 
            Most hospitals should perform the C-section within 15 minutes of the discovery of a prolapsed cord. Hospitals should have in place and have practiced responding to a prolapsed cord. The consequence of not expeditiously following these well recognized standards of practice will result in the baby’s brain being damaged (hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy) and resultant cerebral palsy.

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VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS in which Rockne W. Onstad was Lead Counsel or Co-Counsel

    Gross Amount  Client Recovery        Attorney Fee           Expenses Nature
$13,650,000 $8,055,000 $5,460,000 $135,000 Product Liability, Military Helicopter Gear Box, Spinal Injuries (settlement)
$9,200,000 $6,320,064 $2,760,000 $119,358 Product Liability, Aircraft Carburetor, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$6,800,000 $4,473,334 $2,266,666 $60,000 Premises Liability, Brain Injury, Water Park Slide (settlement)
$4,980,000 $2,437,000 $2,490,000 $53,000 Labor & Delivery Negligence, Fetal Distress, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$4,300,000 $309,000 $138,000 $13,000 Pilot Negligence, Airplane Crash, Wrongful Death (jury verdict)
$3,850,000 $2,373,000 $1,425,000 $52,000 Labor & Delivery Negligence, Fetal Distress, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$3,500,000 $2,028,000 $1,400,000 $72,000 Product Liability, Defective Pick-Up, Spinal Cord Injury (settlement)
$3,235,000 $2,361,250 $808,750 $65,000 Brain Injury, Federal Tort Claim, FAA Negligence (verdict) affirmed on appeal
$3,000,000 $1,724,000 $1,200,000 $76,000 Neurosurgeon Malpractice, Cauda Equina Syndrome (settlement)
$2,950,000 $1,731,000 $1,180,000 $39,000 Defective Design of Helicopter, Paralysis & Wrongful Death (settlement)
$2,900,000 $844,000 $694,000 $26,000 Auto Accident, Spinal Injury & Ankle Injury (jury verdict/settlement)
$2,800,000 $1,864,667 $924,333 $12,000 Premises Liability, Hotel Fire, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$2,500,000 $1,644,667 $833,333 $22,000 Product Liablity, Defective Farm Tractor, Arm Loss (settlement)
$2,300,000 $1,399,000 $960,000 $41,000 Medical Malpractice, Anesthesia, Brain Injury (settlement)
$2,300,000 $1,091,000 $920,000 $59,000 Product Liability, All Terrain Vehicle, Spinal Cord Injury (settlement)
$2,200,000 $1,321,000 $733,333 $44,000 Cerebral Palsy, Medical Malpractice, Preeclampsia (settlement)
$2,200,000 $1,267,000 $880,000 $53,000 Construction Negligence & Insurance Bad Faith, Spinal Injury(settlement)
$2,200,000 $1,191,000 $880,000 $129,000 Product liability, subdural hematoma
$2,100,000 $1,462,334 $557,666 $80,000 Hospital Labor Nurse Negligence, Fetal Distress, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$2,000,000 $1,303,334 $666,666 $30,000 Anesthesia Malpractice, Esophageal Intubation, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$2,000,000 $1,106,887 $800,000 $93,111 Radiologist Malpractice, Brain Catheterization, Brain Injury (settlement)
$2,000,000 $976,484 $976,482 $47,034 Obstetrician Malpractice, Forceps Delivery, Brain Injury (settlement)
$2,000,000 $972,331 $972,669 $55,000 Obstetrical Malpractice, IUGR, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$1,900,000 $905,000 $950,000 $45,000 Clinic Failure to Supervise Impaired Physician, 4 Injured (settlement)
$1,900,000 $73,000 Pilot Error, Helicopter Crash, Wrongful Death (jury verdict-no insurance coverage)
$1,860,000 $978,518 $645,000 $137,480 Neurosurgeon Malpractice, Infection, Cauda Equina Syndrome (settlement)
$1,700,000 $1,130,730 $565,363 $3,907 Product Liability, Defective Refueling Coupling, Burns (settlement)
$1,500,000 $847,000 $600,000 $53,000 Defective Aircraft Component, Military Aircraft, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$1,425,000 $900,310 $457,571 $67,119 Intraoperative Spinal Cord Monitoring Negligence, Spinal Cord Injury (settlement)
$1,400,000 $848,221 $503,552 $51,227 Obstetrician Malpractice, Group B Strep Infection, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$1,400,000 $718,689 $560,000 $130,522 Neurosurgeon Malpractice, Infection, Brain Injury (jury trial & settlement)
$1,400,000 $818,000 $560,000 $22,000 Auto Trucking Accident, Spinal Injury (settlement)
$1,300,000 $718,689 $520,000 $26,000 Hospital Newborn Nursing Negligence, Visual Impairment (settlement)
$1,300,000 $285,000 $250,000 $33,189 Emergency Room Malpractice, Wrongful Death (jury verdict and settlement))
$1,237,000 $718,689 $400,000 $30,000 Cardiologist Malpractice, Brain Injury (settlement)
$1,200,000 $659,879 $395,666 $144,455 Prolapsed umbilical cord, Hospital Obstetrics Negligence
$1,167,000 $594,086 $417,000 $72,513 Emergency Room Negligence, Heart Attack, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$1,150,000 $727,667 $383,333 $39,000 Obstetrician Malpractice, Group B Strep, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$1,111,000 $594,933 $444,400 $71,623 Product Liability, Heart Stent, Heart Damage (settlement)
$1,100,000 $770,000 $440,000 $25,996 Radiologist Malpractice, Failure to Diagnose Breast Cancer, Death (settlement)
$1,060,000 $532,715 $478,991 $48,810 Obstetrician Negligence, Breech Delivery, Cerebral Palsy (settlement)
$1,000,000 $630,000 $333,000 $36,000 Defective Military Aircraft, Manufacturing Defect, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$1,000,000 $566,116 $400,000 $33,884 Surgeon Malpractice, Bile Duct Injury, Wrongful Death (settlement)
$1,000,000 $477,500 $477,500 $45,000 Surgeon Malpractice, Bariatric Surgery, Wrongful Death (settlement)
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