Personal Injury Law

Mother?s Massachusetts Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Accuses Springfield Hospital of Sterilizing Her Without Consent

By Altman & Altman

A mother is suing Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, three doctors, and two nurses for Massachusetts medical malpractice. Tessa Savicki says that the defendants violated her reproductive rights when they permanently sterilized her without her consent. Savicki, 35, has nine children.

Savicki says that after giving birth to Manuel Flores on December 19, 2006, a medical team performed a tubal ligation, which is a permanent procedure, instead of implanting an intrauterine device, which is a birth control procedure that can be reversed. She says that the permanent procedure left her mentally distressed and upset that she can no longer have more children.

Savicki says the defendants did not have a medical reason for performing the permanent sterilization. She also claims that never signed a written consent for the procedure, which is required for MassHealth patients.

A spokesperson for the hospital says that the document was signed. However, Savicki?s Massachusetts medical malpractice lawyer says that the hospital?s Health Information Management System department hasn?t been able to locate a signed consent form.

Failure to Obtain Informed Consent
Choosing to permanently prevent pregnancy is a serious and important decision for a woman to make. Doctor should notify a patient of the risks and ramifications associated with this medical procedure.

Medical providers must obtain a patient?s informed consent before performing an invasive procedure. A patient can sue for Boston medical malpractice if a medical procedure was performed without his/her permission or if a medical complication that he/she wasn't warned about occurs.

Ma mom: I was sterilized against my will, Cape Cod, January 3, 2010

Mother of Nine Claims She Was Sterilized Against Her Will, WCTV, January 4, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Medical Malpractice, Nolo

Tubal Ligation ? Permanent Birth Control for Women, HealthNews, December 31, 2007

Full post as published by Boston Injury Lawyer Blog on January 05, 2010 (boomark / email).