Hunter
03/23/22
A Johnson County jury awarded nearly $98 million in a civil verdict to an Iowa City couple after their newborn suffered permanent brain damage due to errors made during his delivery.
The Gazette reports that Andrew and Kathleen Kromphardt sued Mercy Hospital Iowa City, Dr. Jill Goodman and OB-GYN Associates for negligence throughout her pregnancy, labor, and 2018 birth.
The jury found the hospital and clinic equally responsible for the damages caused by improper use of forceps and vacuum during delivery, crushing the baby’s head. The 14-day trial started March 1st, with the verdict reached on Monday afternoon.
The couple employed the services of nationally known personal injury lawyer Geoffrey Fieger, who famously defended Dr. Jack Kevorkian back in 1999. Kevorkian believed that doctors should be allowed to assist patients with the right to die.
The award is believed to be the biggest of its kind in the state, but it could be months or years before the Kromphardts get any of that money. The paper says that post-trial motions include a “remittitur” from the judge to lower the award to the limits of the defendant’s insurance coverage. The defense can also file an appeal or the two sides could negotiate a settlement.