Michigan Couple Awarded $15.8 Million for Son’s Cerebral Palsy

By Amy Hill

Published on November 22, 2006

Jason and Julie Lowe’s son, Jason, developed cerebral palsy after his oxygen supply was cut off due to umbilical cord compression during labor. The couple was represented in the medical malpractice case by Lynn M. Foley, a registered nurse and senior partner at Cochran, Foley and Associates in Livonia.

Foley argued that Craig Hartman, then a resident at a now-closed Henry Ford Hospital clinic in Trenton, and the attending physician ignored warning signs during Julie Lowe’s labor that should have alerted them that a cesarean section was necessary. Signs of umbilical cord compression began to appear on the fetal monitor, and at one point, Hartman allowed Julie to go to the bathroom without keeping her connected to the fetal monitor.

Foley explained that during the 10 minutes that the fetal monitor was disconnected, oxygen was cut off to the baby because of the umbilical cord compression. This damaged baby Jason’s brain, causing cerebral palsy to develop.

The $15.8 million was awarded to the couple for past, present, and future medical expenses, attendant care, pain and suffering, and the loss of earning capacity for baby Jason from the age of 18 through his life expectancy at age 40.

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