Jury awards family $31M to provide health care for brain-damaged child

MIDLAND, Mich. (WNEM) - A Midland jury awarded a verdict against Mid-Michigan Medical Center in the amount of $31 million on behalf of a family’s brain-damaged child.

Fieger Law made the announcement on Thursday, May 25.

Kendall Berthiaume was born on December 20, 2018.

According to Fieger Law, the Fetal Monitor Strips showed the baby was in fetal distress and needed to be born by immediate C-section due to Pitocin driven excessive uterine activity. The Pitocin was not stopped and delivery was not timely done, Fieger Law said, saying Kendall suffered severe brain damage from a lack of oxygen.

As a result, Kendall, now 4-years-old, has spastic quadriplegia, cerebral palsy, and a seizure disorder, according to Fieger Law.

Based on the evidence presented at trial, the jury found the truth and gave justice to Kendall in order to provide for her future health care needs, Fieger Law said.

The case was tried for three weeks.

“The minor here, Kendall, is severely injured and will forever be permanently disabled. The verdict in this case can never bring Kendall back, but it does provide her justice for her horrible injuries,” Matthew Patterson of Beam Legal Team stated, “It shows that no matter where you are, even in the smallest of counties, justice can be served when the facts deserve it. The Berthiaume family wants to thank Judge Carras and the entire Midland County Court Staff for their professionalism in providing the parties a fair and just trial.”

The jury deliberated for over nine hours before returning the verdict on Thursday.