The Kern County wrongful-death lawsuit arose after 23-year-old Demi Dominguez sought hospital treatment in Bakersfield for swelling, high blood pressure, and blurred vision. Arthur Park kept her overnight for observation but discharged her without identifying her preeclampsia, leading to a fatal seizure and the subsequent death of her newborn son following an emergency Caesarean section. Jurors rejected Park's defense that elevated blood pressure readings were merely stress-related. The resulting multimillion-dollar award will be sharply reduced by the older Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act cap of $250,000.
Key points
Non-economic damages in the case remain restricted by a $250,000 statutory cap establishe…: Non-economic damages in the case remain restricted by a $250,000 statutory cap established under older medical malpractice law.
Legislative updates passed under Assembly Bill 35 do not apply retroactively to lawsuits…: Legislative updates passed under Assembly Bill 35 do not apply retroactively to lawsuits initiated before January 1, 2023.
The verdict concludes a legal process that took seven years to reach a trial resolution i…: The verdict concludes a legal process that took seven years to reach a trial resolution in Kern County.
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A family waited seven years for a jury to decide whether a doctor's negligence contributed to the deaths of a young mother and her newborn son. In California, 23-year-old Demi Dominguez died in April 2019 after being discharged from hospital with symptoms of a serious pregnancy complication. Her baby, Malakhi De Leon, also died shortly after an emergency delivery. On October 21, 2026, a jury found former obstetrician-gynecologist Arthur Park negligent and awarded the two families a combined $9.25 million. However, an older California medical malpractice law means they cannot collect the full amount.
According to a verdict announcement published by patient advocacy organisation Consumer Watchdog, the jury awarded $3 million to Dominguez's mother, Tracy Dominguez, and $6.25 million to Malakhi's father, Xavier De Leon. The decision followed a trial in Kern County, Bakersfield, concerning the medical care provided before the deaths.
Woman discharged after showing signs of preeclampsia
According to Consumer Watchdog's account of the case, Dominguez was eight months pregnant when she began experiencing symptoms including swelling, high blood pressure and blurred vision. Concerned about her condition, she…
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