Fulton County, Georgia Jury Returns $2.3 Million Verdict for Botched Circumcision

[robertandenith]

http://www.atlantainjurylawyerblog.c..._jury_ret.html

No money will guarantee the happiness of this child... how many more of this we need have for this to STOP!

[Mama~Love]

That poor boy!

Defendants not only contended they had committed no negligence, and that any injury was an accepted risk of the procedure, but also somewhat surprisingly contended that the incident did not even occur, asserting that the child was suffering from a congenital deformity of the penis.

Oh, good grief. Just pulling lame-ass excuses out of their .

This has GOT to stop! Why oh why can't people see just how awful this is?!?

[LoveChild421]

Disgusting. But at least the jury made the right decision.

[Treece]

Why does this mother get anything? SHE signed the ******* consent form!!!!

[perspective]

Originally Posted by Treece

Why does this mother get anything? SHE signed the ******* consent form!!!!

I know. Because giving her money makes it seem like it was ok for her to get him circumcised, or she needed to be payed for the "damages" on her son. She signed a form so they could damage (circumcise) his penis in the first place.


I hope these doctors lost their ability to practice medicine in this case. Not only did botch a surgery, they went about and lied to the mother, and the court. This doctor should never be allowed to practice medicine again, because its obvious he/she is not in it to help others.

[ThomasL]

Chances are the rise in their malpractice premium will force the doctor out of practice. Especially after this judgement.

[Fyrestorm]

That $$$ should have been out in trust for that poor babe! His parents should receive ZERO benefit for mutilating that poor child in the first place. They played chicken with their son's genitals and HE lost!

[foreskin friendly]

Originally Posted by Treece

Why does this mother get anything? SHE signed the ******* consent form!!!!

I understand your position, and initially went ahead shaking my head in agreement when I first read this...
BUT...
...then I thought how the guilt that this mother carries with her already is going to stay in her heart probably until her dying day (not to discount or minimize the damage that poor baby has to live with physically, and the emotional and psychological issues he will more than likely have)...

If the mother was blindly led (or even coerced..as we all know many parents are who go through with this consenting to this procedure...) to give the consent...I do feel bad for her and think she is entitled to some compensation along side of her son (and which in his case, like a pp stated, no amount of money can buy happiness for that poor boys future...)

IF she gave TRUE informed consent (and we all know how rare that opportunity is afforded to expecting parents)...as in the dr's gave ALL the information, providing this is elective cosmetic surgery that carries inherent risks, then made watching a video of a circumcision prior to consent MANDATORY (as my sister in law in WV was made to ... and obviously didn't circ) ...then this mother should most certainly be on the other side of the courtroom right alongside those Dr.'s....

[Revamp]

What FF said. If you are in a circumcising culture and you happened upon a website that jolted you out of it then YOU GOT LUCKY. Don't pretend that this makes you a better person than most circumcising mothers in any respect other than being better informed.

[Fyrestorm]

Unfortunately, in most cases where I have spoken to moms who have dealt with their son's botched circumcision...they would do it again. It was a bad doctor, or an accident or what ever they need to say to themselves to justify it. But they would do it again to the next boy.

[foreskin friendly]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm

Unfortunately, in most cases where I have spoken to moms who have dealt with their son's botched circumcision...they would do it again. It was a bad doctor, or an accident or what ever they need to say to themselves to justify it. But they would do it again to the next boy.

And see, I've had MOSTLY the opposite experience.... I've met A LOT of mothers who have said if they could go back and do it all over again, they WOULDN'T consent. They felt coerced by medical staff, family members, husbands....friends...and so many I can't count say they wish they had some encouragement from the other side of the fence to stand their ground. (And any who said they either heard or watched and had no idea it was so barbaric and wished they were told/had known exactly what the procedure entailed...)
(I've had lots of discussions b/c I gently approach people when
1. I see THEM noticing my BUMPER stickers (I have tons of literature on my person or in my car...you never know)
2. I see a pregnant woman...especially with a friend or two
3. during the classes I take at the local college (any opportunity I get with papers/presentations...any way I can tie in the effects of circumcision on individuals/society, I seize the opportunity, and of course ask people to give me advice on my papers-ask them to proofread..etc.)

My own new friends that have consented to it already...older generations...it's never too late to educate people so they can share the information forward to future generations...

Its important to remember that the Dr.'s are the ones that are doing the cutting...not the parents...parents are so often victimized right alongside of their children (in many issues in medicine/science) ....when people KNOW all the facts...I think most people don't push forward with the issue if they know they have the support to withstand outside criticism..whatever the source...so we need to be supportive (and I have to remind myself DAILY)...and not so judgemental of the parents

[A&A]

Originally Posted by Revamp

What FF said. If you are in a circumcising culture and you happened upon a website that jolted you out of it then YOU GOT LUCKY. Don't pretend that this makes you a better person than most circumcising mothers in any respect other than being better informed.

I didn't merely get lucky. I didn't run across any anti-circ website when pregnant. (And I didn't know anyone--anyone--at the time who hadn't circ'd a son.) But I just truly thought about whether or not cutting genitalia should be acceptable. That doesn't make me "better," but it doesn't make me merely "lucky," either.

[pigpokey]

At least they did not gender reassign him as a girl and cut the whole thing off like they might have done 40 years ago.

It will make an impact ... one way or another. E.g., circ may stop in the poor boy's children and grandchildren. Poor little boy.

[Fyrestorm]

FF - Awesome...maybe I've just been unlucky enough to only bump into those is DEEP denial!

Most that I have dealt with still won't take responsibility for the double mutilation. They seem to need to believe it was some sort of fluke rather than accept that they were the one who put their son in harm's way.

[georgia]

Hi, based on our News and Current Event Guidelines, we only wish to host discussion based on the broad topic and how it relates to the Case Against Circumcision, not about individual newsmakers or individuals.

We will allow members to discuss news items in appropriate parenting forums such as breastfeeding items in lactivism, birth related items in the birth forums or chickenpox outbreaks in Health & Healing. However, keep in mind that threads still need to remain on-topic for the forum and should not be about individuals but about the general topic.

Thanks for your cooperation

[perspective]

Originally Posted by A&A

I didn't merely get lucky. I didn't run across any anti-circ website when pregnant. (And I didn't know anyone--anyone--at the time who hadn't circ'd a son.) But I just truly thought about whether or not cutting genitalia should be acceptable. That doesn't make me "better," but it doesn't make me merely "lucky," either.

Thank you. I don't understand why people need to "get lucky" and find good information. As a circed guy I always felt weird about it, as I got old enough to think logically I saw that this was not right. I really don't mean to offend, but I just don't understand why a parent cant see this is the wrong thing to do, if they just stopped and thought about it.

This mother obviously feels bad about what happened. Guess what most doctors are not mad scientists, and generally they are trying to do whats best as well. But you know what they say about the best of intentions.

This mother should not get any money because she should be punished, this Mother should not get any money because it needs to be made clear who the REAL innocent victim here is, and giving the mother money implies there is nothing wrong with an adult forcibly circumcising an infant.

[fruitful womb]

I consider myself 'lucky' that I did finally get the info before my other two sons were born. And I personally feel that I'm a 'better' person now than when I had my first ds in the hospital being stupid and naive and not questioning it more demanding more answers (remember, all I said was, "I don't think this is a good idea".) They're response, they drugged me. I was seeing angels. That's how far gone I was! No medical personnel explained to either me or my dh about any of it. They just did it. I am forever haunted by the image of my ds when he returned. His whole body was swollen and PURPLE! (from oxygen deprivation). I screamed, "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO HIM??? YOU CUT OFF HIS PENIS!!!" It looked so raw, so bloody, and in my drugged up mind, it looked like they cut off the entire penis because of how bloody and raw my poor son's sex organ looked.

Now that I know better, I am a 'better' person! I am 'lucky' that I now have the information. I wish I knew what I know now. Had I known, I guarantee you this would never have happened!

My dh feels the same way. We both are active in our community reaching out to new parents in hopes with the information we provide to them will compell them to spare their son(s) from unnecessary genital reduction surgery.

[Treece]

Originally Posted by fruitful womb

I consider myself 'lucky' that I did finally get the info before my other two sons were born. And I personally feel that I'm a 'better' person now than when I had my first ds in the hospital being stupid and naive and not questioning it more demanding more answers (remember, all I said was, "I don't think this is a good idea".) They're response, they drugged me. I was seeing angels. That's how far gone I was! No medical personnel explained to either me or my dh about any of it. They just did it. I am forever haunted by the image of my ds when he returned. His whole body was swollen and PURPLE! (from oxygen deprivation). I screamed, "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO HIM??? YOU CUT OFF HIS PENIS!!!" It looked so raw, so bloody, and in my drugged up mind, it looked like they cut off the entire penis because of how bloody and raw my poor son's sex organ looked.

Now that I know better, I am a 'better' person! I am 'lucky' that I now have the information. I wish I knew what I know now. Had I known, I guarantee you this would never have happened!

My dh feels the same way. We both are active in our community reaching out to new parents in hopes with the information we provide to them will compell them to spare their son(s) from unnecessary genital reduction surgery.

s

I feel your anger. THIS is a good reason that circ should be illegal. It is abuse to mothers and boys and the entire family. Now, do I think that the mother deserves compensation. No. That will not change. I feel that way event though I would have circed my ds1 had his dad not made me question it. I wouldn't have deserved a penny had anything happened to him. When you start messing with nature, bad things happen.... That's just how it goes. Honestly, this whole society should just leave well enough alone. That's not just circ, there's a lot of things our society screws up.

Am I lucky that I found the truth..... I don't think so. I searched it out. I searched for "circumcision risks" or something. I saw a PHOTO of a boy going through it. I cried my eyes out. I could NOT believe that THIS was what people wanted me to do to MY helpless newborn child who was residing in MY WOMB!!!! That's just me. I SEARCHED for it, I researched it, I shed tears, I decided. I told my bf it wasn't happening to any children before we even kissed. We have one son now..... lol I'm not lucky. I'm a mama bear.

[fruitful womb]

Originally Posted by Treece

s

I feel your anger. THIS is a good reason that circ should be illegal. It is abuse to mothers and boys and the entire family. Now, do I think that the mother deserves compensation. No. That will not change. I feel that way event though I would have circed my ds1 had his dad not made me question it. I wouldn't have deserved a penny had anything happened to him. When you start messing with nature, bad things happen.... That's just how it goes. Honestly, this whole society should just leave well enough alone. That's not just circ, there's a lot of things our society screws up.

Am I lucky that I found the truth..... I don't think so. I searched it out. I searched for "circumcision risks" or something. I saw a PHOTO of a boy going through it. I cried my eyes out. I could NOT believe that THIS was what people wanted me to do to MY helpless newborn child who was residing in MY WOMB!!!! That's just me. I SEARCHED for it, I researched it, I shed tears, I decided. I told my bf it wasn't happening to any children before we even kissed. We have one son now..... lol I'm not lucky. I'm a mama bear.

Ok, well... Maybe I just don't understand some people's perception of what it means to be 'lucky'. To me that means being fortunate. As I strongly feel those who say, "I wish I had known better" are quite 'unfortunate'. Ignorance is a heavy price and it sucks when it comes to the expense of a loved one.

[Dave2GA]

I was the lead attorney in this case. Those who wish further information can PM me.

Dave