Nursing Malpractice Verdict

A South Carolina jury has awarded $1.4 million in damages in a nursing malpractice case against Prisma Health Children’s Hospital-Midlands involving negligence that caused fatal complications from a baby girl’s premature birth.

Apparently the evidence was overwhelming because the jury deliberated for just 35 minutes after a week-long trial that focused on whether the hospital’s nurses failed to adequately monitor an oxygen delivery device on the infant. This is critical for preventing damage to the delicate skin of premature babies.

The Sales claimed the negligence resulted in a permanent injury requiring reconstructive surgery, while Prisma Health contended that their care adhered to standard practices and denied any wrongdoing.

The baby’s parents, Earl and Mary Sale, both testified, supported by an expert nurse-educator who discussed the importance of proper monitoring.

The hospital only offered $25,000 to settle the case before trial.

The couple pursued the lawsuit to ensure ensure “this would not happen to the next person’s child.”