What is Wrongful life?
'''Wrongful life''' is a [[legal action]] in which someone is [[lawsuit|sued]] for not stopping the birth of a [[wikt:severe|severely]] [[disability|disabled]] child. In this type of lawsuit a child and the parents will sue a [[physician|doctor]] or a [[hospital]]. The doctor or hospital is sued for not giving information about the disability during the [[pregnancy]]. The doctor or hospital may have not provided all the information on a [[genetic]] case before the pregnancy. The parents argue that if the mother had known this information, she would have had an [[abortion]], or chosen not to become pregnant at all. In the past, only parents could sue for their ''own'' damages the occurred as a result of the birth of a disabled child (e.g., the mother's own pregnancy medical bills and cost of [[psychiatric]] treatment for both parents' emotional [[wikt:distress|distress]] resulting from becoming aware that their child was disabled). This cause of action is known as [[wrongful birth]]. But the child could not sue for his or her own damages, which were often much more in terms of money and harm. In four [[U.S. state]]s, the child is allowed to start a wrongful life [[cause of action]] for damages. In 1982, the [[Supreme Court of California]] was the first [[state supreme court]] to permit the child's right to sue for wrongful life, but in the same decision, limited the child's recovery to [[special damages]].<ref>''Turpin v. Sortini'', [http://online.ceb.com/CalCases/C3/31C3d220.htm 31 Cal. 3d 220] (1982).</ref> Most other [[jurisdiction]]s, including [[England]]<ref>''McKay v. Essex Area Health Authority'', [1982] 1 QB 1166.</ref> and [[Ontario]],<ref>''Bovingdon v. Hergott'', [http://www.ontariocourts.on.ca/decisions/2008/january/2008ONCA0002.htm 2008 ONCA 2], 290 D.L.R. (4th) 126.</ref> have not allowed the wrongful life cause of action. ==Related pages== *[[Wrongful birth]] *[[Wrongful abortion]] *[[Bioethics]] == References == <references/> == Further reading == * Appel, Jacob M. [https://www.nc