Neglect costs US doctor $33.8 million

A federal lawsuit has ordered a doctor in the US to pay $33.8 million for a series of missteps that led to a tragic outcome for Marla Dixon and her baby.

The doctor ordered nurses to restart a drug to strengthen contractions, failed to perform a Caesarean section — and walked away from Dixon’s room for long periods, once for an eight-minute phone call from his stockbroker, the verdict said.

By the time the baby was delivered December 2, 2013, he was blue in the face and his limbs were limp, according to the verdict handed down by US District Judge Robert Scola.