CHARLESTON – A Kanawha County mother says two CAMC nurses are responsible for permanent disabling injuries her son sustained during his delivery.
Jada Baker, as parent and guardian of R.R., filed her complaint July 11 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Deanna Farmer, a certified nurse/midwife, and Molly Steele, an advanced practical registered nurse and student nurse/midwife.
R.R. was born April 26, 2023, at Charleston Area Medical Center’s Women and Children’s Hospital. Steele initially delivered the baby under Farmer’s supervision.
“There are well-known guidelines that apply to nurses, midwives and doctors when a baby’s shoulder is stuck during delivery,” attorney L. Dante diTrapano told The West Virginia Record. “Unfortunately, the nurse and midwife who delivered Ms. Baker’s baby ignored these guidelines.
“Instead, they pulled and yanked Ms. Baker’s baby out with such force that it completely tore the nerves in his shoulder. Despite the best efforts of doctors in Columbus, Ohio, to repair this nerve damage, Ms. Baker’s child currently has very little use of his arm, and her child cannot use his hand at all.”
During delivery, the baby was noted to be suffering from shoulder dystocia. Shoulder dystocia is an obstetric emergency in which normal traction on the fetal head does not lead to delivery of the shoulders. This can cause neonatal brachial plexus injuries and hypoxia as well as maternal trauma.
According to the complaint, Steele applied excessive traction and used excessive force during the delivery because of the shoulder dystocia.
“During delivery, R.R. suffered facial and left ear bruising, cephalohematoma, Horner’s Syndrome and a severe non-transient brachial plexus injury,” the complaint states.
Horner's syndrome is a chronic condition that affects the nerves in the face and eye, causing a combination of symptoms on the same side of the face. The most common symptoms are a smaller pupil, drooping eyelid and little or no sweating on the affected side.
Baker accuses Farmer and Steele of professional negligence. She seeks compensatory damages for past and future medical expenses, past and future pain and suffering, past and future loss of earnings, annoyance, embarrassment, humiliation, inconvenience and loss of enjoyment of life. She also seeks punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interests, court costs, attorney fees and other relief.
She is being represented by diTrapano and David H. Carriger of Calwell Luce diTrapano in Charleston and by Dr. Richard D. Lindsay and Richard D. Lindsay II of Tabor Lindsay & Associates in Charleston.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 24-C-765
