Haskett v. Butts

OPINION

BILL VANCE, Justice.

This is a medical negligence case involving a stillbirth. Six days after Pamela Butts’s last office visit with her obstetrician, Dr. Richard Haskett, she was admitted to the hospital for delivery. She was past nine months pregnant. Under Haskett’s orders, the nurses administered Pitocin to induce labor. About two hours later, Haskett deliberately “broke her water” which he said was routine when, as in Pamela’s case, the date of conception is uncertain. At that time, there was no indication of complications.

Several hours later, readings from fetal monitoring…