Court: Extraordinary damages OK in ‘wrongful life’ case

By GENE JOHNSON
The Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington Supreme Court says that under state law, it’s OK for judges to award extraordinary damages in so-called “wrongful life” cases where a child has birth defects that require extensive care. The unanimous decision Thursday came in the case of a woman who became pregnant after a federally funded health clinic mistakenly gave her a shot of flu vaccine instead of contraceptive. Her child was born with severe disabilities and a federal judge awarded the family $10 million. The Justice Department appealed, saying it should only be liable for the cost of the birth — not for care required after it — but the state’s justices rejected that.