Hoffmann v. Member of Executive Council, Easter Cape
Country: South AfricaYear: 2011
Court: High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape
Citation: Case no: 1037/2007
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to health
The plaintiff alleged medical negligence on behalf of the Dora Nginza Hospital (hereinafter referred to as “the hospital”. The plaintiff states that she was referred to the hospital as her blood sugar and blood pressure was high during pregnancy. She had also informed the hospital that she had had previous C-Section deliveries. She was also …Read more
V.C. v. Slovakia
Country: SlovakiaYear: 2011
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 18968/07, Eur. Ct. H.R. (2011).
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Hospitals, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right of access to information, Right to family life, Right to privacy
The applicant, a woman of Roma origin, was sterilized at the hospital during the delivery of her second child. Prior to the Cesarean section, the medical personnel allegedly asked the applicant whether she wanted any more children. When she expressed that she did, the medical personnel allegedly told the applicant that if she got pregnant …Read more
Case 5299/2010
Country: SpainYear: 2010
Court: Supreme Court of Justice of Castilla-Leon
Citation: STSJCL 5299/2010
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health care and health services, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right of access to information, Right to bodily integrity
The appellant gave birth in the Hospital Universitario of Salamanca to a child born with shoulder dystocia. She brought an administrative claim against the relevant insurance company, requesting compensation in the amount of 140,036.65 Euros. She based her claim on the facts that (a) her baby’s medical history was not completed but only included gynecologist …Read more
Case 7026/2010
Country: SpainYear: 2010
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: STS 7026/2010
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Sexual and reproductive health
The petitioner’s childbirth resulted in a child with disability. The petitioner had diabetes, a history of intravenous drug use, hepatitis B and C, and an obstetric history that included two abortions and two previous eutocic (vaginal) deliveries. When in the 35th week of her pregnancy, the petitioner went into preterm labor. The next day the …Read more
Case 4866/2009
Country: SpainYear: 2009
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: STS 4866/2009
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health care and health services, Hospitals, Medical malpractice, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to health
Appeals were filed by both parties to a decision in a case involving health damages sustained by a child as a result of a delay of the mother’s cesarean during childbirth. The child in the case suffered damages when, as a result of the lack of appropriate staff on-site, there was a delay in performing …Read more
Case of K.H and Others v. Slovakia
Country: SlovakiaYear: 2009
Court: The European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application no. 32881/04
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, Hospitals, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right of access to information, Right to bodily integrity
The applicants are Slovakian females. After their treatment in two Eastern Slovakian hospitals for their pregnancies and deliveries, they could not conceive after multiple attempts. They suspected that a sterilisation procedure must have been conducted during their caesarean delivery. The lawyers of the plaintiffs attempted to get their medical records from the hospitals but were …Read more
K.H. and Others v. Slovakia
Country: SlovakiaYear: 2009
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 32881/04, 49 Eur. Ct. H.R. 34 (2009).
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Informed consent, Medical malpractice, Poverty, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right of access to information, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to family life
The eight applicants were women of Roma ethnicity, who suspected that they had been sterilized during caesarian section deliveries at two different hospitals. The applicants obtained legal representation, who attempted to examine and obtain copies of their medical records. These requests were denied by the hospitals. The applicants then brought actions against the hospitals in …Read more
I.V. v. Bolivia (Admissibility)
Country: BoliviaYear: 2008
Court: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Citation: Report No. 40/08, Petition 270-07, July 23, 2008; OEA/Ser.L/V/II.134, Doc. 5, rev. 1, 25 February 2009
Health Topics: Informed consent, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom of expression, Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to family life, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to privacy
In 2000, the Ombudsman of Bolivia, on behalf of the victim, lodged a petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights alleging that victim was submitted to a surgical procedure of ligature of the fallopian tubes in a public hospital without her informed consent and this was therefore an involuntary sterilization. The Ombudsman further alleged …Read more
Eggertsdóttir, Sara Lind v. Iceland
Country: IcelandYear: 2007
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: App. No. 31930/04, Eur. Ct. H.R. 553 (2007).
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Disabilities, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Medical malpractice, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to due process/fair trial
The applicant, an Icelandic national was born physically and mentally handicapped at the National and University Hospital (NUH). Linking the cause to possible mistakes on the part of the hospital staff, the applicant’s parents brought judicial proceedings on her behalf against the State of Iceland. The District Court found that the State was liable and …Read more
A.S. v. Hungary
Country: HungaryYear: 2006
Court: Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
Citation: Communication No. 4/2004, U.N. Doc. CEDAW/C/36/D/4/2004 (July 14, 2006).
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Hospitals, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right of access to information, Right to family life, Right to health
A.S., a Hungarian-Roma woman in labor, was taken to a public hospital in shock and bleeding heavily. Because the fetus was dead, attending personnel informed her that a caesarean section was needed to remove the fetus. While on the operating table, she was asked to sign a statement of consent, including a hand-written note requesting …Read more