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Baby Burned by Hospital; Parents File Suit

By Deanne Katz, Esq. | Last updated on

When you take your infant to the hospital, the goal is to make her healthy, not to walk out with a new injury.

Lylah Rose got the flu when she was 2 months old, so her parents took her to the local hospital in Merced, Calif., to check it out. As part of her treatment, a nurse tried to give the baby an IV so she could start getting more fluids. But the nurse had trouble finding a vein.

The nurse picked up a light to help her find a place to start an IV, but after putting it in Lylah's hand for a few minutes, the baby started screaming.

The device the nurse used to find a vein burned her hand so badly that on April 9, she was sent to another hospital for a skin graft, reports the Merced Sun-Star. Turns out the light used wasn't intended to find veins.

Now Lylah's mom has to massage her baby's hand daily to help the healing process, which is painful for the child. It's also possible she'll need additional surgeries as she gets older.

For the pain Lylah and her family have suffered, her parents have filed suit against the hospital that allegedly caused the damage. Their intent is to hold the hospital accountable for what happened and to let others know that things can go wrong, even at a hospital, according to Fresno, Calif.'s KFSN-TV.

That's a good reminder for all parents. If you think the doctor or nurse is hurting your child, speak up. If it leads to a serious injury, don't give up your right to recover. Call an experienced lawyer who can help.

The light used by the nurse was not approved to locate a vein, according to a letter sent to the baby's parents by Dignity Health, the hospital's parent company.

While the letter was mailed privately, it was released to the media and now could be part of the lawsuit.

Hospitals and medical providers are held to a certain standard of care when they work with patients, to ensure that their care is consistent with what a reasonable provider would give. If the care falls below that standard, a lawsuit for medical malpractice is likely to succeed.

The lawsuit was filed Monday, but Lylah's parents are open to settling the case, according to their attorney. But if they can't reach a deal, then they're prepared to take their case to a jury.

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