A Maricopa County jury has awarded more than $31 million in what is believed to be the largest medical malpractice verdict in Arizona history. The lawsuit was filed by Krystle Griepentrogh against Banner Health over her newborn baby, Greyson, who suffered brain damage during her 2014 birth.
Banner's nurses and doctors administered Pitocin after the baby became oxygen deprived during delivery, according to the law firm Snyder & Wenner. Staff continued to administer drugs, which the law firm alleges led to further deprivation. Loss of oxygen caused cerebral palsy.
Law firm partner Brian Snyder said the staff violated the hospital's policy on administering drugs.
“These policies are in place for a reason. They are intended to protect patient safety, and they continue to violate the policies, and we continue to have devastating consequences like this. …This was a completely preventable incident,” he said.
In a statement to KJZZ, a Banner Health spokesperson said the company “respectfully disagrees” with the ruling and is considering future legal action.
Snyder & Wenner
Krystle and Grayson Griepenlog.
