Daughter Born by C-Section at 45 Has Knife Scar on Face... Outrage Over Hospital Response

Hospital Admits Fault but Refuses to Process Insurance Claims

A scar resembling a cut mark appeared on the face of a daughter born via cesarean section, but although the hospital admitted negligence, the parents complained that the hospital neither processed the insurance nor compensated, insisting on determining the compensation amount through a lawsuit.

A fresh cut on a newborn baby's forehead
Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On the 25th, Yonhap News reported that a woman in her 40s, Ms. A, gave birth to her daughter by cesarean section at a well-known obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Busan on November 18, 2021. After holding the baby, she discovered a bleeding wound on the baby's forehead. The baby's forehead had two torn skin areas, one of which was 2 cm long and the skin was significantly separated.

The surgeon, Dr. B, said at the time, "It looks like a pressure mark," and promised treatment, saying, "It will get better over time." However, the baby's wound did not heal even after one year and six months. When Ms. A's husband raised the issue, the surgeon changed his stance, claiming, "It is a paper cut caused by a nurse's mistake, and I am not at fault."

However, after consulting two university hospitals, it was confirmed that the baby's wound was due to the doctor's negligence. Busan National University Hospital suspected that the wound on the baby's forehead was "torn during the cesarean section (c-sec) and is a laceration caused by a scalpel." They also noted that although the wound was bleeding, it was not sutured, and the wound area was swollen.

Inje University Paik Hospital stated that treatment to heal the wound was necessary, and while improvement was possible, complete recovery was unlikely.

Medical certificates from two university hospitals
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Ms. A's husband believes that the hospital only applied ointment to the baby immediately after the accident and did not provide proper treatment, which caused the wound not to heal properly.

The hospital admitted negligence and expressed regret but has not taken responsibility. Although the hospital has insurance against medical malpractice, it refuses to pay the insurance money, insisting on waiting for the court's judgment through a lawsuit.

The amount estimated by the insurance company, considering medical malpractice and the baby's treatment costs, is 12.7 million won. Ms. A decided not to pursue separate compensation for the hospital's negligence, fearing that legal fees would exceed the amount if she proceeded with a lawsuit to receive about 10 million won, and requested only insurance processing. However, the hospital remains firm, saying that if they want the insurance money, the baby's parents must file a lawsuit.

A hospital official told Yonhap News, "We regret and feel sorry about the baby's wound," but added, "(The baby's parents) sent a certified letter, but it is difficult to know the desired settlement amount or compensation, so we decided to seek the court's judgment. We have not contacted the parents directly to understand their demands and are waiting for the complaint to arrive."

What is absurd is that although the surgeon, Dr. B, insists on processing the insurance, three other doctors who are partners with him want to proceed with a lawsuit. Currently, Dr. B has opened a separate clinic due to a rift with the other doctors. Accordingly, Ms. A's husband is considering filing a complaint with the police against the hospital and Dr. B for medical malpractice and violation of medical laws.

Ms. A's husband said, "Our daughter, whom we had with difficulty at age 45 through in vitro fertilization, has a wound that grows as she grows, which is heartbreaking," adding, "I gave birth during the severe COVID-19 period, so it was difficult to visit the baby, and I trusted the hospital to properly treat the wound, but that was not the case at all."

The lawyer assisting the baby's parents said, "It is unacceptable that the hospital ignores even the minimal request to apply the insurance the hospital subscribed to," and added, "The hospital and doctors are subject to criminal punishment for medical malpractice and violation of medical laws."