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Couple Granted $1.36 Million after Hospital Negligence Verdict
Lindsey Setzer was just 23 years old when she went to St. Clare Hospital due to a urinary tract infection (UTI) and ongoing pain 
on her right side. Setzer and her husband, Michael, were 14 weeks pregnant and had already nicknamed their unborn child “Baby Setzer”.
When she arrived at the hospital, she informed the nurses of her kidney stone history and proceeded to have an ultrasound performed which revealed several more had formed. Her heart rate was above 140 beats per minute (BMP) and she was suffering from fever and nausea when the doctor released her without any antibiotics or prescription.
The next day, Setzer woke up with a severe fever and rapid heartbeat that led to her trip to the emergency room at Mercy Hospital. While in the emergency room, doctors diagnosed her with sepsis caused by the untreated UTI and began immediate treatment. Her diagnosis meant she would spend seven days in the intensive care unit (ICU) and would fully recover, but the same could not be said for “Baby Setzer”.
Searching for Justice
In 2016, Lindsey and Michael reached a confidential settlement against the doctor who treated her, Dr. Joseph Herrmann, but decided to file a second lawsuit against the hospital itself in 2018.
In search of justice, The Setzer’s and their lawyers began preparing for what would be a five-day, intensive trial in St. Louis, Missouri. Six years after Setzer’s traumatizing experience, justice was served and 9 out of 12 jurors found the hospital to be negligent. The jury determined that Setzer’s unborn child did not survive due to the hospital approving the discharge of a pregnant woman suffering from both kidney stones and a UTI as well as high fevers and nausea.
Kidney stones are known to have the ability to affect a fetus and complicate birth. If an expecting mother has consistent UTI’s and other symptoms of kidney stones, it’s important to see a doctor right away in order to avoid premature labor. Because the hospital voluntarily released Setzer with these symptoms, it led to the eventual loss of her fetus due to complications from her untreated condition.
As a result of Setzer’s overwhelming sense of loss for her child, she went on to become an obstetrics nurse for Mercy Hospital. She takes pride in helping expecting women stay healthy and informed and hopes to ensure her situation doesn’t happen to anyone else.
If you or a loved one has suffered from medical malpractice including hospital negligence, let our experienced lawyers help.
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Sources – St. Louis Post-Dispatch