Taylor Cayce v. Mercy Hospitals East Communities et al

Parties Involved

  • Plaintiff(s): Taylor Cayce
  • Counsel for Plaintiff: Mary Simon| John Simon | Erica Slater | Ryan Patrick McPhail
  • Experts for Plaintiff(s): Edward Yun, urology | Richard Luciani, Ob/Gyn | Shirley Daugherty

 

  • Defendant(s):Mercy Hospitals East Communities | Jason Phillips, MD
  • Counsel for Defendants: John Ryan Beard | Paul Nicholas Venker | John F Jr Mahon| Terrence Joseph O’Toole Jr | Lisa Andreini Larkin
  • Experts for Defendant(s): LaTasha Nelson, Ob/Gyn | Marc Feldstein , Ob/Gyn | Kent Perry, urology | Anne Cameron, urology | Matthew Bishop, CPA | Greg Russo, health care cost analyst |  Cathlin Mitchell, life care plan

Verdict Information

  • Verdict Date: January 17, 2024
  • Total damages awarded to Plaintiff: $10,018,689.85
    • For past economic damages: $268,689.85
    • For past noneconomic damages: $750,000
    • For future medical damages: $5,000,000
    •  For future noneconomic damages: $4,000,000

About the Case

Cause

In 2016, an 18-year-old woman named Taylor Cayce underwent a routine cesarean section (C-section) at Mercy Hospital after completely dilating and pushing for 2 hours. During the surgery, the attending doctor and a 4th-year resident encountered a deep extension on the left side of the uterine incision. They sutured the area and backfilled Cayce’s bladder to check for injury but did not find any issues, so they closed her abdomen.

Six days after the C-section, Cayce returned to the hospital with high fevers and vomiting. Thirteen days post-op, a urologist was called in and eventually diagnosed that Cayce’s left ureter had been stitched and was completely obstructed on the left side during the original surgery. The urologist attempted to fix the obstructed ureter by stenting and re-stenting it 4 times over the next few months. However, he ultimately determined that a stent could not repair the damage.

Eight months after the C-section, Cayce underwent a left ureteral reimplantation procedure. This procedure permanently distorted her bladder anatomy and removed the valve of the ureter that keeps urine from refluxing back up into the left kidney.

Injury

As a consequence of the ureter injury, Cayce faced a series of debilitating issues. These included voiding dysfunction, characterized by difficulties in urination. Additionally, she experienced urine retention, which further exacerbated her condition. Furthermore, Cayce endured recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and kidney infections, adding to her ongoing health struggles. Her voiding issues and infections have worsened over the last 7 years. At age 25, Cayce must now intermittently self-catheterize for the rest of her life. This is due to the bladder defects and lack of an effective ureter valve caused by the botched C-section surgery.

Jury Verdict

The jury awarded a $10,018,689.85 million verdict in the medical malpractice case. The breakdown of the damages included $268,689.85 for past economic damages, $750,000 for past noneconomic damages, $5,000,000 for future medical damages, and $4,000,000 for future noneconomic damages.

Press Release:

https://simonlawpc.com/birth-injury/10-million-medical-malpractice-verdict-in-st-louis-county/

Jury sides with woman left with lifelong urinary issues