無痛分娩致母子重度障礙判賠約3億日圓
Painless Childbirth Results in Severe Disabilities for Mother and Child; Court Orders Compensation of Approximately 300 Million Yen
原告A於被告診所接受無痛分娩硬膜外麻醉時，因麻醉醫師誤將麻醉藥一次全部注入之蛛網膜下腔，致原告A陷入植物人狀態，胎兒出生罹患缺氧缺血性腦病變，並於六歲時死亡。原告A之配偶B與母親C，則向被告請求損害賠償。法院遂認定，產婦與醫院締結關於胎兒分娩之醫療契約時，同時為胎兒之利益與醫院締結關於胎兒出生之醫療契約，並代胎兒為默示之受益意思表示。因此，胎兒於出生後，得就因上述醫療契約之債務不履行而致其所生之損害，取得對醫院之損害賠償請求權。
This case review examines a medical malpractice dispute arising from a catastrophic epidural anesthesia error during childbirth, which left Plaintiff A in a persistent vegetative state and caused her fetus to develop severe hypoxicischemic encephalopathy, resulting in the child’s premature death at age six. Addressing the claims for damages brought by Plaintiff A’s spouse, B, and mother, C, the court articulated a pivotal doctrinal expanxssion regarding the legal status of a fetus within contractual relationships. The court held that a medical contract for childbirth executed between a pregnant woman and a healthcare provider inherently encompasses a third-party benefit framework structured in favor of the fetus. By interpreting the contract as featuring an implied stipulation of fetal benefit, the court affirmed that upon live birth, the child acquires retroactive standing to assert individual claims for damages arising from the hospital’s breach of its contractual duties of care during the prenatal stage.
078-083
