Case Background
The legal battle began after Michaela Nielsen sought medical care for the birth of her child in mid-2020. Ms. Nielsen had remained under the prenatal care of Dr. Susan Fox throughout her pregnancy. On May 17, 2020, at approximately 38 weeks pregnant, Ms. Nielsen arrived at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital after her water broke. Because Dr. Fox was unavailable to attend the delivery, Dr. Eric Runyon took over her care as the attending obstetrician. During the vaginal delivery, Ms. Nielsen suffered a physical tear. While the medical records noted a first-degree repair to the skin of the perineum, the Plaintiff later alleged that the medical team had overlooked more severe damage.
Cause
The lawsuit centered on allegations of medical malpractice. Ms. Nielsen claimed that Dr. Runyon and the hospital staff had failed to identify, document, and properly repair a significant laceration to her labia majora and clitoris during the delivery process.
Injury
Following the delivery, Ms. Nielsen began experiencing complications related to the unrepaired site. She was eventually diagnosed with a labial laceration that involved her clitoris, a condition that required her to undergo two separate corrective surgeries with different medical providers. Despite these additional procedures, she reported that she continued to suffer from physical disfigurement, as well as ongoing physical and mental limitations stemming from the initial injury.
Damages Sought
In her complaint, Ms. Nielsen requested compensation for a wide range of losses. She sought recovery for her past and future medical expenses, as well as "catastrophic" damages including permanent pain and suffering, physical impairment, and the loss of her capacity to enjoy life.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Legal Representation
Plaintiff(s): Michaela Nielsen
Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Philip A. Gold | Leilani S. King
Defendant(s): Eric Runyon, D.O | HCA Florida Kendall Hospital | HCA, Inc.
Counsel for Defendant(s): Kevin M. Vannatta | Mary Jaye Hall
Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel
The legal teams presented two vastly different versions of the care provided on the day of the delivery.
Claims
The Plaintiff’s attorneys argued that Dr. Runyon had been negligent by failing to perform a thorough examination following the birth. They contended that the hospital had lacked adequate protocols for tearing and lacerations and had failed to properly supervise or train the medical staff. The legal team emphasized that the medical records lacked any mention of a clitoral repair on the day of the birth, even though Dr. Runyon later noted a "separation from repair" in that area during a follow-up visit in June 2020.
Defense
The defense team denied all allegations of wrongdoing. They maintained that Dr. Runyon had met the professional standard of care and that the treatment provided was appropriate under the circumstances. The Defendants also raised affirmative defenses, suggesting that Ms. Nielsen might have contributed to her own poor outcome by failing to accurately report her symptoms or by suffering a subsequent injury that was unrelated to the delivery. They argued that the injury claimed by the Plaintiff was not caused by any failure on the part of the doctor.
Jury Verdict
After listening to the evidence and arguments, the jury reached a decision on September 11, 2025. The jurors were asked to determine if there was negligence on the part of Dr. Eric Runyon that served as a legal cause of injury or loss to Ms. Nielsen.
The jury answered "NO" to the question of negligence. Because they found no negligence, they did not proceed to calculate any financial damages. Following this verdict, Judge William Thomas signed a Final Judgment on September 15, 2025, officially ruling in favor of Dr. Runyon. The Court ordered that Michaela Nielsen would receive nothing from the lawsuit and closed the case as to all parties. The Court did, however, reserve the right to decide on any future issues regarding attorney's fees and legal costs.
