Florida Jury Awards $10 Million in Ambulance Birth

A jury has awarded $10 million to a Volusia County who sued an ambulance transport service over injuries her son received during his premature birth in 2003.

The jury decided last week that EVAC Ambulance was negligent for transporting Margarita Chess, who gave birth to her son while en route to the hospital. Her son was left with cerebral palsy after suffering a lack of oxygen to the brain.

EVAC spokesman Mark O’Keefe said the company stands behind the paramedics and intends to appeal the verdict.

Court records show Chess went to one hospital for premature labor. She was going to be treated at another hospital, but the ambulance was called to transport her to a different hospital. The hospitals and doctors named in the lawsuit settled the case last year for $1.4 million.