Mother and Child Die from Preeclampsia, $3M Settlement Reached

​A physician has agreed to a $3 million settlement to resolve malpractice allegations regarding the death of a patient and her unborn child from complications related to preeclampsia, according to a report (login required) from the September 2014 Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements, and Experts. When the patient was 39 weeks into her pregnancy, she visited the defendant for prenatal care. During this visit, the physician found high levels of protein in the mother's urine and accumulation of fluid. Although the mother's blood pressure was at the highest level it had been during the pregnancy, it was still lower than the threshold for a diagnosis of preeclampsia.