Lynch v. State

Court: Connecticut Supreme Court

Docket: SC20646

Opinion Date: February 6, 2024

Judge: Alexander

Areas of Law: Government & Administrative Law, Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury

A case in Connecticut involved a couple, Aaron Lynch and Jean-Marie Monroe-Lynch, who sought damages for alleged medical malpractice by the state of Connecticut in relation to therapeutic donor insemination (TDI) services and prenatal care provided at a state hospital. The couple were unable to conceive without medical assistance and pursued TDI services. The hospital staff failed to adhere to guidelines regarding the use of cytomegalovirus (CMV) positive donor sperm for CMV negative patients, leading to Jean-Marie being inseminated with CMV positive donor sperm. Jean-Marie later became pregnant with twins. During her pregnancy, an ultrasound revealed conditions associated with an in utero CMV infection, however, the hospital staff failed to inform Jean-Marie or take appropriate follow-up action. One of the twins died in utero from a severe CMV infection and the other was born with severe, lifelong medical conditions as a result of congenital CMV.

The Supreme Court of Connecticut held that the state could not claim sovereign immunity as the plaintiffs' fertility treatment claims were medical malpractice claims, not informed consent claims. The court also held that the plaintiffs' son, who was born with severe medical conditions as a result of the state's negligence, was entitled to compensation. The court found no merit in the state's claim that the damages awarded were speculative or predicated on the concept that nonexistence can be preferable to impaired existence. The court concluded that common-law negligence principles were adaptable to provide a remedy for injuries such as those sustained by the plaintiffs' son. This decision affirms the trial court's award of over $34 million in damages to the plaintiffs.

Google’s Bard AI Makes Its Official Transition to Gemini

Justia Team

Google updated its AI chatbot, Bard, to Gemini (its latest and most advanced AI model), offering its own Android app and introducing a paid version named Gemini Advanced.

Read More

Justia Webinars: Charisma In-Person and on LinkedIn: Business Development for Attorneys

Justia Team

Sometimes, it is not enough just to have a business card and a website to tell people, “I am here.” In a competitive legal landscape filled with people who have business cards and websites, you need more to draw the eyes of potential clientele and build your law firm. You need charisma.

Read More