Gynecologic Malpractice

Birth injuries can cause lifelong impairments that not only require costly care but are also emotionally devastating. Many birth injuries are caused by incompetent medical care, and parents of children who suffer harm at birth are often able to recover compensation for their child’s losses. The mere occurrence of an injury is not sufficient to impose liability, however. Instead, as demonstrated in a recent New York opinion, a plaintiff must produce competent evidence of medical negligence to establish a defendant’s fault. If your child was injured at birth, you might be able to pursue a claim for damages, and it is advisable to confer with a Syracuse birth injury lawyer to determine your rights.

The Plaintiff’s Claims

It is reported that the plaintiff, who was expecting her first child, was treated by the defendant midwife at the defendant hospital throughout her pregnancy. She ultimately gave birth to her son at another hospital. The infant was born prematurely and suffered numerous injuries. Thus, the plaintiff filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the defendants, alleging their negligence brought about her child’s harm. The defendants moved to have the plaintiff’s claims dismissed via via summary judgment, and the court granted the motion. The plaintiff then appealed.

Proving Liability in Birth Injury Cases

In New York, medical malpractice cases require proof that the defendant healthcare provider departed from the accepted standard of care and that such departure was the proximate cause of the plaintiff’s harm. As such, a defendant who moves for summary judgment must establish the lack of a departure from the accepted and good practice of medicine or show that the plaintiff was not harmed by any such departure. Continue Reading ›

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically altered many aspects of people’s lives, including how medical malpractice lawsuits are litigated. Thus, since the Spring of 2020, courts have grappled with the issue of how to protect the rights of parties involved in cases involving medical negligence claims while remaining within the confines of the law. Recently, a New York court issued an opinion addressing the discrete issue of whether to compel a party to sit for a remote deposition in a case arising out of gynecologic malpractice. If you sustained losses due to a negligent gynecologist, it is advisable to speak to a skillful Syracuse gynecologic malpractice attorney regarding your rights.

History of the Case

It is alleged that the plaintiff’s decedent treated the defendant gynecologist for an unspecified issue. She subsequently lost her life due to complications arising from her treatment, which the plaintiff alleged was due to the defendant’s negligence. Thus, the plaintiff filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the defendant. The case progressed, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the plaintiff was reluctant to conduct depositions in person. Thus, she filed a motion seeking to compel the defendant to conduct the depositions remotely. The defendant objected to the motion, but the court ultimately ruled in favor of the plaintiff.

The Right to Remote Depositions

The court noted that, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, most depositions were conducted in person. While the New York procedural rules are based on the assumption that depositions would be conducted in person, parties can stipulate to allow for depositions to be conducted remotely. Even if parties do not agree to remote depositions, though, the rule that depositions should take place in person is not rigid.

Articles Posted in Gynecologic Malpractice

New York Court Discusses Proving Liability in Birth Injury Cases

Court Issues Order Compelling Remote Depositions in Medical Malpractice Case in New York