An Oregon family is seeking $9 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit against the St.
After nine months of waiting, Angela Marchant went into labor on July 22, 2016. She was rushed into the St. Charles Family Birthing Center, located in Bend, Oregon. The center is operated by the St. Charles Health System, which is one of the largest providers of medical care in the state of Oregon. According to the medical malpractice lawsuit, filed on behalf of the family, Dr. Mary Jane Davis allegedly did not monitor Marchant or her baby, Grace Louise Marchant-Hubbs, closely enough throughout the pregnancy.
Marchant, who worked as a full-time nurse at an urgent care facility, told her lawyers that when she began bleeding, it took hours before Davis examined her. After being in labor for nearly two days, Marchant was told that she would need an emergency cesarean section. According to the lawsuit, Davis informed Marchant about the surgery at 9:30 p.m. on July 23rd. A half an hour later, Grace Louise was born, but that delay may have cost Marchant her daughter’s life.
“During that 30-minute delay,” the lawsuit states that the “plaintiff’s baby continued to experience significant tachycardia,” which is an unusually rapid heartrate, “and significant oxygen deprivation.”
Grace Louise was born unconscious and was quickly transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit. The attending physicians attempted to revive her, but were forced to put her on life support. After two-days, Grace Louise, who appeared to be healthy before her birth, showed no brain activity and was taken off life support. During this time, Angela Marchant was also transferred to the intensive care unit, because of organ failure from the surgery. Angela was able to hold her baby before she died, but was so sedated that she had no memory of the event.
A year and a half after the death of her first child, Angela filed a medical malpractice lawsuit for the wrongful death of Grace Louise. The St. Charles Health System and Dr. Mary Jane Davis were named as defendants. The lawsuit was filed in Deschutes County Circuit Court, located in Bend, Oregon, on behalf of Grace Louise’s estate. Angela Marchant is seeking $9 million in damages for the family’s pain and suffering as well as their medical expenses. It is not yet clear whether Angela will be able to have another child because of the physical toll on her body.
“This is a significant tragedy for this family and everyone involved,” said one of the plaintiff’s attorneys.
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