Wednesday, November 24, 2004
| After reading William R. Brody's column regarding medical malpractice ("Medical justice myths impeding health care," Other Views, Nov. 19), I think the public should know the real story from a victim, a perspective that is rarely considered and often misrepresented.
For the past 26 years I have lived with cerebral palsy because my mother's obstetrician knew I was a breech delivery and didn't perform a Caesarian section, which then, as today, was the proper medical protocol. Instead, he allowed labor to progress and I was born feet first, causing the umbilical cord to compress against my mother's cervix, thereby restricting oxygen and blood to my brain.
A mistake that happened in seconds resulted in me living with a lifelong disability that has caused both physical and emotional damage only someone in a similar situation can fully comprehend.
Most folks with cerebral palsy don't have the mental capacity to understand why they are suffering; the only thing they know is the pain they face on a daily basis.
I was born in 1978 and filed a suit almost 19 years later, just before the statute of limitations expired. The doctor settled the suit for around $500,000, the average cost of a home in Bergen County. Would Mr. Brody call this "jackpot justice"?
Bad doctors are the real cause of the premium hikes, not lawsuits. The medical profession as a whole has totally ignored this side of the issue. Perhaps less time should be focused on trying to squelch victims' rights and more time trying to promote safer medical care.
Justin Mattes |
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