A Utah judge has awarded nearly $1 billion in damages to a Wyoming family after ruling that a hospital’s negligence during childbirth left their daughter permanently disabled.
Anyssa Zancanella and her partner, Daniel McMichael, were granted $951 million following a lawsuit against Jordan Valley Medical Center West Valley Campus — then operated by the now-defunct Steward Health Care. The judgment is believed to be one of the largest malpractice awards in U.S. history.
The case stemmed from the October 2019 birth of the couple’s daughter, Azaylee. Zancanella, who had a healthy pregnancy, went into labor while visiting Salt Lake City. She rushed to Jordan Valley Medical Center after her water broke.
Court filings revealed that she was administered “excessive” doses of Pitocin, a drug used to induce labor, and was largely ignored by inexperienced staff. Nurses reportedly had little to no prior experience with laboring patients.
Doctors delayed performing a C-section for more than a day, despite warning signs. This prolonged labor deprived the baby of oxygen, causing severe brain damage and leaving her with permanent neurological and cognitive impairments.
In his ruling, Third District Judge Patrick Corum condemned the hospital’s failures in stark terms.
“Zancanella would have been better off delivering this baby at the bathroom of a gas station, or in a hut somewhere in Africa, than in this hospital. Literally, this was the most dangerous place on the planet for her to have given birth,” Corum said.
He described the tragedy as “a complete and profound loss,” adding that the child “is trapped inside a brain-damaged body” as a result of the hospital’s negligence.
The court awarded nearly a billion dollars, including punitive damages, though Corum noted the amount might have been higher had Steward Health Care not effectively withdrawn from the case.
Today, Azaylee lives with constant seizures, is nonverbal, and requires round-the-clock care. She receives physical and occupational therapy and cannot sleep alone, forcing her parents to share a bed with her for safety.
“[Azaylee] had her life stolen. We all did. She is trapped,” Zancanella testified. “I know that my daughter is in there, but she can’t come out and I think of that every day.”
The ruling comes amid Steward Health Care’s financial collapse. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024 and has since sold off its hospitals. Steward stopped participating in the case, and its attorneys withdrew, complicating prospects for collection.
Still, the family’s lawyer, Jennifer Morales, said they may be able to secure at least half of the award, which represents punitive damages.
Credit: Daily Mail
