Henry Ford Health Faces $120M Verdict For Negligence in C-Section Case

In a recent legal proceeding, a Michigan jury concluded that Henry Ford Health, based in Detroit, and several of its medical practitioners were negligent in a case concerning a delayed caesarean section that led to significant disability.

The verdict, handed down on March 28, resulted in the awarding of $120 million in damages to Kristen Drake and her 13-year-old son, K’Jon Drake, as documented in court records. The plaintiffs asserted that the minor’s severe disabilities stemmed from the failure of a Henry Ford obstetrician and hospital nurses to effectively perform a C-section procedure, leaving a gap of over two hours before intervention. The jury concurred with this assessment, acknowledging the grave consequences of the delayed medical intervention on the child’s health and wellbeing.

Henry Ford Health has stated that it plans to appeal the decision.

The lawsuit was filed in Michigan’s Wayne County Circuit Court in 2020. Alongside the plaintiffs, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also participated in the case, aiming to retrieve the funds disbursed for K’Jon Drake’s medical treatment.

According to a court document submitted by the plaintiffs, Kristen Drake sought medical assistance at Henry Ford Hospital in 2010, during which fetal monitoring indicated decelerations attributed to cord compression and diminished variability after her arrival. The attending obstetrician recommended a C-section, which, as stated by the plaintiffs, was “unnecessarily delayed” for two hours and 19 minutes.

Following a four-week medical malpractice trial, the jury awarded the family approximately $120 million in damages. A portion of this sum will be allocated to the state’s health department. The awarded amount comprises both past and anticipated future economic damages for essential care, loss of potential future earnings, as well as prior and anticipated noneconomic damages encompassing pain and suffering.

Henry Ford Health, an integrated healthcare provider, operates over 250 facilities and five acute hospitals throughout Michigan. In an emailed statement, the nonprofit firm expressed profound sorrow for the Drake family, extending back to the birth of their son over a decade ago.

Company representatives conveyed that while they acknowledge the verdict, they do not perceive it as aligning with the facts of the case. They expressed their intent to vigorously appeal the jury’s decision.