Family awarded $951 million in Utah's largest malpractice verdict ever
Industry Buzz
The person she was to be, the person she deserved to be, is trapped inside a brain-damaged child. I cannot think of anything more profound, total or complete than that loss.
Judge Patrick Corum
Doc was called about a fever and 'went back to sleep.' Yeah, we do that on call. Make decisions and then rest until the next one.
Doctor on Reddit @Peaceful-harmony-
In what experts are calling an unprecedented legal outcome, in August 2025, a Utah judge awarded $951 million to the family of a child who now has lifelong disabilities due to negligent care during delivery.[] The verdict marks the largest medical malpractice award in Utah’s history.
The case centers on Azaylee McMicheal, born October 14, 2019, at Jordan Valley Medical Center in West Valley City, UT—then owned by Steward Health Care.
Judge Patrick Corum ruled that the hospital was profoundly negligent during delivery, describing its care as comparable to giving birth in “the most dangerous place on the planet.”
For physicians, the scale of this award is striking. Typical settlements in cases involving severe birth injuries, even cerebral palsy or permanent neurological impairment, generally range from $1 million to $15 million.[] This verdict exceeds that range by roughly 63 times, reflecting both the gravity of the errors and the lasting impact on the patient’s life.
A devastating birth experience
While not all details have been publicly disclosed, court documents describe alarming lapses in labor management. Nurses caring for McMicheal's mother, Anyssa Zancanella, were newly trained and reportedly administered excessive doses of Pitocin while the on-call physician slept nearby.
McMichael's birth was delayed for over 24 hours, culminating in a long-overdue C-section. At birth, she had a misshapen head, severe swelling, and oxygen deprivation, requiring urgent transfer to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City for intensive care.
Judge Corum’s ruling emphasized the profound human cost: “The person she was to be, the person she deserved to be, is trapped inside a brain-damaged child. I cannot think of anything more profound, total or complete than that loss.”
Doctors discussing the case on r/medicine said they believe the payout is unexpectedly high. "That is an … insane number (higher than the GDP of many nations). I don't see how, even in the most egregious cases, such judgment could ever be justifiable," said physician @charlesfhawk.
"I’m [an] OB/GYN. That number is just mind-blowing ... Curious if tort reform will be looked at again in Utah after this. Yet another reason labor and delivery units are closing and OB/GYNs are burning out," said @argininosuccinase.
A costly nap (in more ways than one)
It's also worth noting that two commenters noted how normal it is for doctors to sleep while they're on call.
"I’ve searched, no specifics available about tracing, pit doses, MVU, use of internals, etc. Care with 2 RNs just off of orientation. Doc was called about a fever and 'went back to sleep.' Yeah, we do that on call. Make decisions and then rest until the next one," said @Peaceful-harmony-.
And @NurseGryffinPuff agreed: "Right?! This write up made me scared to sleep on call. Which…good luck to me because I currently take 5 days of (low volume) call in a row every other week."
Implications for hospitals and clinicians
For physicians and hospital administrators, this verdict serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of protocol lapses, staffing errors, and inadequate supervision in labor and delivery units.
High-profile cases of this magnitude often lead to institutional reviews, mandatory staff training, and systemic changes designed to prevent recurrence.
The award itself is intended to support McMicheal's lifetime care—medical treatment, therapy, assistive devices, and accommodations—to maximize her potential despite her disabilities. It's a reminder of the multidisciplinary needs birth injury cases impose on families and healthcare systems.
Financially, collecting on the verdict may prove complicated. Steward Health Care has filed for bankruptcy, raising uncertainty about the family’s ability to recover the full sum. Attorneys indicate that at least the punitive damages, roughly half of the total award, may be recoverable.
For clinicians, this case is a cautionary tale about vigilance during delivery, especially when using high-risk medications like Pitocin, supervising trainees, and ensuring timely intervention in prolonged labor.
As hospitals nationwide review policies and risk management strategies, clinicians may find themselves rethinking how team supervision, escalation protocols, and patient safety checks are implemented in the delivery suite.
This landmark ruling may not only shape Utah’s healthcare landscape but also serve as a wake-up call to clinicians everywhere: The decisions made in the delivery room can have consequences that last a lifetime—for both patients and providers.