Iowa medical malpractice case accounts for most of FY2010 spending

The last fiscal year was an expensive one for Iowa, as the government spent $6.6 million on settling and resolving workplace-related claims.

Most of that amount went towards a medical malpractice settlement involving the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, in which $3.3 million was awarded to a family whose child suffered a birth injury resulting in cerebral palsy, reports KCAU-TV, an ABC affiliate.

The child’s parents claimed their doctors were negligent during labor and that a Cesarean section should have been performed to avoid causing the baby’s condition, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Cerebral palsy is a disorder typically developed in utero as a result of brain injury. It inhibits a child’s movement by affecting the muscles and motor skills, and is frequently accompanied by dystonia, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The medical research organization reports that this disorder occurs in 0.2 to 0.4 percent of births, with premature babies at a higher risk for developing cerebral palsy. While the condition is difficult to prevent, mothers-to-be can minimize its possibility by keeping all immunizations up-to-date, receiving prenatal care throughout the pregnancy and leading a healthy lifestyle.