Sherman agrees to lawsuit settlement

Sherman Hospital in Elgin will pay the majority of a $9.5 million settlement against it, a midwife and her sponsoring obstetrician, in a lawsuit filed after a baby was born with cerebral palsy in 1996.

According to the Web site of the plaintiff's attorney, Corboy & Demetrio of Chicago, Sherman will pay $7.5 million, Fox Valley Women's Healthcare, the employer of nurse midwife Mary Traub, will pay $1 million and Dr. Jae Eun Han will pay $1 million.

Sherman officials did not return calls for comment.

The settlement dismisses the lawsuit that was filed after Patrick O'Came was born in October 1996 with cerebral palsy. According to firm, Traub used a risky method called "fundal pressure" to help push the distressed baby through the birth canal. The pressure applied by Traub, the firm alleged, cut off the oxygen flow through the umbilical cord.

The firm also said that hospital procedures require a nurse midwife to have a sponsoring physician and employer. At the time, Traub's sponsoring physician and employer was Dr. Jae Eun Han. He was out of the country, so he enlisted another doctor to be his backup.

O'Came's family also charged that the hospital, nurse midwife and Han did not notify or consult the backup doctor of the situation soon enough to possibly recommend a different course of action.

"This settlement will allow Patrick to receive the proper and necessary care he will need for the rest of his life," said attorney Shawn Kasserman on the firm's Web site.