Canadian Woman Compensated for Botched Abortion Leaving Her Pregnant
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 22, 2004
Prince George, Canada (LifeNews.com) — A Canadian woman who had an abortion and found out she was still pregnant three months later has been awarded compensation in a medical malpractice case.
The woman, now 37, gave birth to the baby in 1997, according to a CBC report, and has been raising the child ever since.
In 1996, she discovered she was pregnant, despite using birth control. Holding low-paying jobs and barely able to make ends meet for herself and her two children, she decided to have an abortion.
After a referral from her family doctor, she went to Prince George Regional Hospital and Ronald Harold Dabbs assured her the abortion would be successful, according to the CBC report.
Three months later, she told him she was still pregnant. Dabbs then offered to pay for a late-term abortion at an abortion business in Seattle, but she refused.
As a result of the lawsuit, Judge Glen Parrett decided in the woman’s favor and awarded her $55,000 in damages and for "emotional turmoil." He also awarded her an additional $5,000 for loss of income as a result of taking time of from work for the birth of the baby.
The CBC reported that Judge Parrett turned down her request for compensation for the baby’s upbringing. He said the woman would have "the joy she derives from the presence of this child in her life."
Dabbs was found guilty of several medical mistakes, including failing to read lab reports correctly that showed the abortion was likely incomplete.
Barry Hagen, who also performs abortions at the Canadian hospital, told Judge Parrett that Dabbs failed to follow proper procedures, including failing to remove the woman’s IUD prior to performing the abortion.
