Umbilical Cord Prolapse Birth Injury Claims

The key concept is the difference between cord prolapse (the cord is in the wrong place) and cord compression (the cord is being squeezed and oxygen is being cut off).

A prolapse becomes dangerous when compression is sustained or recurrent and the fetal heart tracing turns nonreassuring.

If a prolapsed umbilical cord is diagnosed in advance, doctors can deliver the baby via C-section to avoid any potential dangers from cord compression. Amnioinfusion can also be used to reduce pressure and avoid dangerous compression of the umbilical cord.

Umbilical Cord Prolapse Settlement Amounts and Jury Payouts

Verdicts and settlements in prolapsed umbilical cord cases can help victims understand the potential range of value in birth injury litigation involving a prolapsed umbilical cord.  They show how juries respond to delayed C-sections, mismanaged cord compression, hypoxic injury, and lifelong care needs that travel along umbilical cord prolapse. When a case involves severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, cerebral palsy, or permanent neurological impairment, prior results provide a rough framework for how damages such as future medical care, lost earning capacity, and non-economic harm may be evaluated.

At the same time, no two cases are identical, and it is dangerous to extrapolate too much from any single verdict or settlement. Value depends on the specific medical facts, the duration and severity of oxygen deprivation, liability clarity, expert testimony, venue, statutory damage caps, and even the credibility and likeability of witnesses. A strong liability case with clear documentation of cord prolapse and delay can produce a very different result than a medically ambiguous case with disputed causation. These results are useful reference points, but they are not guarantees or predictors of what any particular claim will be worth.

• Pennsylvania $9,600,000 Verdict: A female infant suffered catastrophic birth injuries after being delivered at Northeastern Hospital of Philadelphia with a prolapsed umbilical cord. The plaintiffs alleged that the pregnancy was high-risk and that the delivering physician failed to properly recognize those risks, including the mother’s prior breech delivery, and deviated from the standard of care during labor and delivery. As a result of the prolapsed cord and resulting anoxia, the child sustained severe brain damage.  The child was diagnosed with anoxic brain injury, total blindness, spastic quadriplegia, cerebral palsy, bilateral brachial plexus injuries, and partial hearing loss. The defendants denied liability and contended that the injuries were caused by unavoidable delivery complications. After trial in Philadelphia County, the jury returned a $9,600,000 verdict in favor of the plaintiff.

• California $5,000,000 Settlement: An infant was delivered by emergency C-section at a hospital in Alameda County after a sudden fetal heart rate deceleration revealed a prolapsed umbilical cord. When the delivering obstetrician arrived, he identified several inches of cord protruding into the vagina in front of the fetal head with cervical dilation of 8–9 cm. Instead of immediately proceeding to a stat C-section, the physician first attempted to manually reduce the cord and then made two unsuccessful vacuum attempts, followed by two unsuccessful forceps attempts, before ordering the patient to the operating room. The baby was delivered approximately 34 minutes after the onset of the severe deceleration, with Apgar scores of 1, 4, and 5 and a cord pH of 6.9. The child was later diagnosed with mild hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and developed choreoathetoid cerebral palsy, though with normal intellect. The plaintiffs alleged that once the cord prolapse was diagnosed, the standard of care required immediate transfer to the operating room for cesarean delivery and that the delay in proceeding directly to surgery was a substantial factor in causing the child’s injury. The defense contended that the obstetrician exercised appropriate clinical judgment by attempting a vaginal delivery after temporarily relieving the cord compression and argued that any brain injury occurred during the initial period of bradycardia before he arrived. The case settled for $5,000,000.

• llinois $12,500,000 Verdict (Reduced to $10,250,000 per High/Low Agreement): A newborn boy suffered cerebral palsy after his birth at Edward Hospital in Cook County was complicated by hypoxia and a prolapsed umbilical cord. The plaintiffs alleged that hospital staff failed to properly monitor, recognize, and respond to signs of oxygen deprivation and cord prolapse during labor and delivery. As a result of the extended deprivation of oxygen, the child sustained permanent neurological injury. The father sued the hospital, the obstetrics group, and individual physicians, claiming negligent obstetric care. The hospital denied liability and asserted that the delivering physician was not its employee but rather employed by a separate obstetrics group. Claims against one physician were later dismissed. The jury found Edward Hospital 100% liable and returned a $12,500,000 verdict, including $11,120,000 for the child and $630,000 for the father. Pursuant to a pretrial high/low agreement, the judgment was reduced to $10,250,000. After court-approved attorney’s fees and expenses, the net recovery to the family was significantly reduced from the gross verdict amount.

• California $3,600,000 Verdict (Plus $950,000 Settlement Pre-Trial): A newborn suffered severe brain damage and spastic quadriplegia after a prolapsed umbilical cord was allegedly mismanaged during labor at Mission Hospital in Los Angeles County. After the mother’s membranes ruptured and the cord prolapsed, the delivering physician called for an emergency cesarean section. But the C-section was delayed for an hour. During that time, the plaintiffs alleged that the physician failed to properly elevate the fetal head and take necessary steps to relieve compression of the cord. The anesthesiologist did not arrive for approximately 45 minutes after being called. The plaintiffs contended that the physician lacked adequate knowledge regarding proper management of cord prolapse and that the delay in performing the emergency C-section resulted in prolonged oxygen deprivation. The anesthesiologist maintained that she responded promptly after being notified, while the physician argued that he properly managed the prolapse and that any delay was attributable to others. A Los Angeles County jury returned a $3,600,000 verdict against the physician, including $3,450,000 in economic damages and $250,000 in non-economic damages. The hospital had previously settled separately for $950,000. The jury returned a defense verdict in favor of the anesthesiologist.

• Hawai’i $10,950,000 Settlement: Baby Boy Doe was born at a local community hospital after a labor complicated by a prolapsed umbilical cord and prolonged fetal heart decelerations. The plaintiffs alleged that the standard of care required immediate elevation of the presenting part, reduction of the cord, and an emergency cesarean section. Instead, they contended that there was a critical delay because the hospital’s on-call obstetrical coverage was either nonexistent or deficient, leaving no physician immediately available to perform the required C-section. The child suffered profound anoxia and was diagnosed with severe hypoxic brain injury. He now resides in a nursing facility, requires 24-hour care, is fed through a PEG tube, has a tracheostomy, and has severely limited cognitive function. Past medical expenses were reported at approximately $1.3 million, with projected future medical costs estimated at roughly $5 million. The plaintiffs further argued that the hospital had an obligation to disclose its on-call policy so the mother could make an informed decision about where to deliver. The physician denied knowing of a prolapsed cord at the time of the prolonged deceleration and claimed documentation referencing prolapse was written retrospectively.

• New York $3,000,000 Settlement: A newborn male suffered permanent brain damage after a prolapsed umbilical cord allegedly went undetected during labor. The plaintiffs contended that the defendant physician did not arrive at the hospital until approximately nine hours after the mother was admitted and failed to render prompt treatment. As a result of the delay, the prolapsed cord was not timely identified, and the child was deprived of oxygen, leading to severe and permanent brain injury. The child was the firstborn of twins; his sibling was not injured. The defense tried to maintain that the infant was healthy at birth and argued that the brain injury was caused by an incident occurring five days later rather than by intrapartum anoxia. The case settled before a verdict for $3,000,000.