STAMFORD, Conn. — In a high-stakes legal battle that has captured the attention of the Connecticut community, a jury in Stamford awarded $17 million in damages to Jacqueline Rodezno of Greenwich, following a malpractice lawsuit she filed over the stillbirth of her daughter. Rodezno contended that medical errors made at Greenwich Hospital directly led to the tragic outcome of her pregnancy.
The lawsuit involved multiple defendants including Greenwich Hospital, Northeast Medical Group, and physicians Dr. Annette Bond and Dr. Diana Adams. Both the hospital and the medical group are affiliated with Yale New Haven Health, which expressed deep sympathy for the family’s loss but indicated plans to evaluate options for an appeal, highlighting their commitment to compassionate care.
The emotional legal proceedings concluded with a jury deliberation lasting approximately a day and a half. Attorney Stephanie Roberge, representing Rodezno, highlighted the gravity of the loss suffered by her client. She stated that the case hinged on several medical oversights, particularly the failure to properly manage Rodezno’s condition known as cholestasis of pregnancy—a liver disorder that can be common in pregnant women and causes increased bile acids in the blood.
Symptoms of cholestasis typically include intense itching, which Rodezno reported experiencing. Despite initial treatment with the medication ursodiol, her bile acid levels were reported as normal, and the treatment was prematurely halted. The complaint detailed that her symptoms persistently recurred, yet the medical response was delayed.
Rodezno’s tragic stillbirth occurred at 36 weeks, a direct consequence, her legal team argued, of the healthcare providers’ failure to reactivate the necessary medication in time and their general mismanagement of her pre-natal care. This included a significant delay in conducting appropriate tests and ultimately in deciding to deliver her baby in response to critical liver enzyme levels.
Yale New Haven Health, in a statement, reiterated its dedication to high-quality care and expressed disappointment in the jury’s verdict. The health provider empathized with Rodezno’s pain and the loss experienced by any family in such circumstances.
In the community and beyond, this case has raised significant concerns about the handling of cholestasis of pregnancy, a condition that if not correctly managed, can have devastating consequences, as tragically evidenced in this case.
Legal experts and medical professionals alike are watching closely, as this judgment might set a new precedent in how similar cases are handled and the expected standards of prenatal and perinatal care in conditions involving liver complications during pregnancy.
Rodezno’s victory in court, while a financial compensation for her emotional and physical suffering, is a bittersweet reminder of the irreversible loss of her child. As expressed by her legal team, no monetary award can truly compensate for such a profound personal tragedy, but it can serve as a critical reminder of the responsibilities healthcare providers have towards their patients.
The case remains a poignant example of the intersecting challenges of medical ethics, patient care, and legal accountability within the healthcare system.