Providence faces $100 million lawsuit after Portland mom dies giving birth

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The family of a woman who died hours after giving birth to her first child at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland on March 13 is seeking $100 million in damages, a lawsuit filed against Providence Health shows.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed on Dec. 3, 31-year-old Portland resident Abirami “Abi” Goyal died from a “massive blood loss” suffered following an emergency cesarean section. In her life, Goyal was an accomplished businesswoman who was a rising manager at the local chip manufacturer Intel, The Oregonian first reported. Her tragic death, the 63-page lawsuit claims, was the result of “a complete system failure” by Providence St. Vincent doctors, nurses and hospital staff to notice or address the bleeding before it was too late.

“Abi’s death was entirely preventable,” the lawsuit reads. “Postpartum hemorrhage and the corresponding increased mortality rates among minority women are common knowledge in obstetrics. Providence St. Vincent’s is a tertiary center with the capability and resources to properly monitor for and treat postpartum hemorrhage. However, due a series of violations of safety culture principles culminating in a complete system failure, the Providence system let Abi bleed to death on the operating table in its own operating room.”

Even after discovering the bleeding, the doctors and nurses took too long to address the issue due to delays and mismanagement, the lawsuit claims. 

“They delayed and withheld lifesaving interventions Abi desperately needed,” the lawsuit reads. “In fact, the Providence team did not administer Abi’s first blood transfusion until over one hour after her bleeding was belatedly discovered. Worse, the Providence team did not clamp off and remove Abi’s uterus until nearly three hours after her bleeding was discovered.”

When reached for comment, Providence Oregon spokesperson Gary Walker told KOIN 6 that the not-for-profit could not comment on pending litigation. Attorney Jeffrey Killino, who is representing Goyal’s family in the suit, told KOIN that her family hopes the lawsuit will bring change to Providence and help prevent future tragedies.

“This case and the devastating loss of Abi highlights a systemic problem not only with the healthcare she received at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, but with the larger systemic problems assailing the maternal healthcare system in the U.S.,” Killino said. “... The time has come to reverse course and address the root causes of preventable and unnecessary deaths of amazing young mothers like Abi.”

Goyal was survived by her husband Kartikeya Goyal and her newborn daughter Sahana Goyal. The family is seeking $75 million in noneconomic damages for Abi Goyal’s suffering and $25 million in economic damages.