The Nevaeh Crain story is as outrageous as it is tragic. The fact that Texas voters are bringing this misery upon themselves by supporting Abbott/Paxton/Patrick, et. al., defies all logic. As Penelope observes, a lot of these people are just assholes. But they also utterly lack empathy, and absolutely none of these horror stories will bother them until it involves someone that they personally care about.
And I think there's another aspect of this story that is potentially being overlooked, - a plaintiff with a wrongful death claim cannot find representation in Jefferson County. Some of the other barristers here who handle personal injury claims can weigh in, and I realize that Jefferson County is not nearly the plaintiff-friendly venue that it once was, but that seems to be a warning sign that should not be ignored.
But what scares me the most about that story is how hospital administrations will review the facts of the case with their physicians, staff, legal departments, and insurers to essentially develop a roadmap to avoid not only criminal, but also civil liability in the future. I get that doctors are rightfully scared that they could go to prison if Paxton decides to scrutinize their actions in these situations. But with each incident, I fear that their focus shifts more and more from providing treatment that meets the standard of care, to simply covering their asses to avoid liability. I suppose it may be academic to some extent, as more and more OB/GYNs will surely be leaving the state.