Tiyanika Wilson has filed a medical malpractice complaint against Baptist Health South Florida, Inc., doing business as Bethesda Hospital East, and Dr. Martin Castaneda. The lawsuit was filed in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Florida on May 20, 2024.
The complaint, filed by Tiyanika Wilson individually and as the parent and natural guardian of her minor daughter L.C., alleges that the defendants were negligent in their care and treatment during Wilson's pregnancy and delivery. According to the complaint, Wilson was under the care of Dr. Martin Castaneda for her prenatal care and delivery at Bethesda Hospital East. The lawsuit claims that due to negligence by Dr. Castaneda and several nurses employed by the hospital, L.C. suffered significant injuries during birth.
Wilson discovered she was pregnant at age 20 and began prenatal care with Dr. Castaneda due to her diagnosis of gestational diabetes. She was also followed by maternal fetal medicine specialist Dr. Aaron B. Deutsch during her pregnancy. Despite an uncomplicated prenatal course, Wilson’s history included nulliparity, morbid obesity, gestational diabetes, and a large-for-gestational-age infant.
On September 17, 2021, Wilson presented to Bethesda Hospital East at 38 weeks gestation for active labor. During labor, complications arose which included tachysystole with little resting tone between contractions and an eventual shoulder dystocia identified after the fetal head was delivered using a Kiwi Vacuum extraction device applied by Dr. Castaneda.
The complaint details how despite these complications being noted early on through various examinations and tests indicating potential risks such as a large fetal head circumference and high estimated fetal weight percentile, appropriate measures were not taken to mitigate these risks effectively or inform Wilson adequately about them.
The lawsuit alleges multiple failures including improper use or administration of Pitocin; failure to obtain accurate estimation of fetal weight; failure to advise Wilson about risks associated with vaginal extraction versus cesarean section; improper management of shoulder dystocia; excessive trauma causing brachial plexus injury; inadequate documentation during critical moments; among others.
As a result of these alleged failures, L.C. suffered from a brachial plexus injury leading to permanent impairment in her right arm which required surgery on February 1, 2022. Despite extensive medical interventions post-birth including surgery revealing severe nerve damage (C7 nerve root avulsion), L.C.’s right arm remains significantly impaired requiring ongoing medical care indefinitely into the future.
Plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages exceeding $50,000 for past and future medical expenses related to L.C.'s injuries along with other associated costs such as pain & suffering endured by both mother & child due directly/proximately from defendants' negligence acts/omissions claimed within this suit.
Representing plaintiffs is Morgan & Morgan P.A., specifically attorneys Hector Buigas Esq., Brooke Charlan Esq., based out West Palm Beach FL while defendants yet have no listed representation within initial filing records per case number: 502024CA004698XXXAMB Division AG presided over relevant jurisdictional circuit court Palm Beach County FL dated aforementioned above