A NSW mother whose baby died after her labour wasn’t monitored properly has been awarded nearly $1.8 million in damages by the Supreme Court.
Sharon McManus, 37, endured depression, PTSD and abused alcohol after her son Cooper died in May 2010 at Wagga Wagga Hospital, reports The Daily Telegraph.
The court heard that during her 2010 pregnancy Ms McManus was cared for in hospital for three weeks following a severe case of gastroenteritis. After she was sent home from hospital the pregnant woman presented the next day where doctors decided to act urgently and scheduled a C-section for that afternoon.
Ms McManus was taken to the operating theatre and later woke to be informed her son “didn’t make it”.
The grieving mother has sued the hospital for damages for “nervous shock” and on Tuesday Justice Harrison found that Cooper’s death could have been avoided if a cesarean section had been performed earlier.
“Her post-traumatic stress disorder and depressed and anxious state render her disabled on an ongoing and unrelenting basis from enjoying or participating in a wide range of fundamental activities of daily life,” Justice Harrison said.
“This situation is likely in my view to continue for the whole of Ms McManus’ life, with little real or tangible prospect of improvement.”
The court heard that The Murrumbidgee Local Area Health Network admitted liability and was ordered to pay Ms McManus $1,785,498 and cover her legal costs.
