A military family reached an $11 million settlement with the federal government after their baby was born with a brain injury at an Army hospital.
Joshua Madrid, who is in the military, and his partner Sarah Panter, had their baby at Fort Campbell Army Hospital on Sept. 11, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. They accused the hospital of not responding to hours of fetal distress during the child’s birth.
They alleged that the baby was healthy prior to delivery but was born with injuries. After the case went to trial in April 2026, the Department of Justice (DOJ) agreed to pay the family to settle the case. A legal settlement is not an admission of liability or guilt.
“The family is relieved and grateful. … They can finally put this behind them and focus on healing,” Laurie Higginbotham, an attorney for the family, told Fox17 Nashville.
The government historically rejects the vast majority of military medical malpractice claims. Following the DOJ’s approval, the $11 million sum will be paid via the U.S. Treasury into a trust to fund lifetime, around-the-clock medical care for the child.
Military.com reached out to the DOJ for comment.
The Birth and the Child’s Injuries
The baby was born blind and with brain injuries, meaning that she will never walk or talk.
That’s according to an attorney for the family, who told Fox17 Nashville that the baby “had both a traumatic brain injury and a brain injury from lack of oxygen” because of how the baby was delivered.
Traumatic brain injury, which occurs when a sudden blow to the head causes damage to the brain, varies in severity and creates myriad symptoms including headaches, nausea, dizziness and vomiting, as well as cognitive difficulties and emotional instability.
The family filed an administrative claim with the U.S. Army in 2023, then a lawsuit against the federal government a year later, alleging that the team at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital in Fort Campbell should have moved to a C-section within half an hour instead of delivering the baby naturally.
The child is now 4 years old and has cerebral palsy, epilepsy, vision problems and other complications, according to NewsChannel5. The outlet said she cannot walk or sit without support, and receives food through a feeding tube. She requires a high level of care.
“This case is about holding the government accountable and giving this military family the lifelong care and support they will need,” Higginbotham said.
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