The family of Luan Morales has been awarded $300,000 in the settlement of a wrongful death case. Morales was pregnant while incarcerated at the West Valley Detention Center in San Bernardino County, California. She experienced critical pregnancy complications but was given no emergency care and bled to death as a result of the delayed medical treatment. Her seven-month-old fetus also died as a result of delayed medical treatment provide by prison officials.

Morales’s pregnancy was considered high-risk; however, it took over an hour for her to receive medical treatment after she began bleeding. In addition to prison officials’ failure to respond, the lawsuit alleged that there were other mistakes that caused delayed treatment such as a lack of life-saving equipment on site at the prison. By not promptly responding to Morales’ dire situation in an effort to save her life and the life of her unborn child, officials violated the detention center’s own written policies which resulted in two deaths.

Luan Morales has two other children who were left without a mother as a result of her death.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers: Delay in Medical Treatment Can Cause Serious Complications or Death

In emergency situations, prompt medical attention is important in diagnosing and treating an illness or injury. Medical staff that has been unresponsive or organizations that have failed to seek treatment for an injured person could be held responsible for injuries that occur as a result of delayed medical treatment.

In medical emergencies involving prenatal care or child birth, immediate medical attention is necessary to avoid further complications, such as birth defects, birth injuries, or even death. Pregnant mothers and their unborn babies are at risk for injury when medical professionals mishandle prenatal care, fail to diagnose and treat conditions such as preeclampsia, polyhydramnios and infections, do not properly deal with emergencies during childbirth, or do not follow protocol after a difficult delivery. In these cases, a medical malpractice case may be necessary to recover damages for future medical costs and other expenses that may be incurred in the future.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Philadelphia and New Jersey

The Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers at Messa & Associates are experienced at handling wrongful death case. Our extremely skilled team of medical malpractice lawyers and medical experts is dedicated to ensuring you receive proper compensation for your personal injuries. If you or a loved one have suffered a birth injury, brain injury, wrongful death or any other type of personal injury as a result of delayed medical treatment or negligent care received by a medical provider, contact the medical malpractice lawyers of Messa & Associates for a free consultation. Call toll free at 1-877-MessaLaw, or submit a free online inquiry.