TQL Ordered to Pay $22.5 Million in Newborn’s Death After Denying Work-From-Home Request A Hamilton County jury ruled Thursday that Total Quality Logistics, LLC, must pay $22.5 million following a trial that found the company responsible for the death of a newborn girl after it denied her mother’s request to work from home during a high-risk pregnancy. The decision, announced by the family’s attorneys, centers on the circumstances surrounding Chelsea Walsh’s medical complications and the impact of her employer’s actions. According to evidence presented during the trial, Chelsea Walsh, a 27-year-old mother, underwent a pregnancy-related procedure in early February 2021 and was classified as high-risk. Her medical team advised her to limit physical activity, adhere to modified bed rest, and work remotely to ensure her health and the baby’s well-being. However, when Walsh requested to work from home, TQL rejected the request, instructing her to return to the office immediately after the procedure. She was also required to complete leave paperwork, a process she contested. On February 24, TQL allegedly approved her request to work remotely, but only after a third party, unrelated to the company, made the request. By that point, Walsh had already been hospitalized with complications and gave birth to her daughter, Magnolia, on the same day. The baby was born at 20 weeks and six days of gestation and died shortly after birth. The family’s attorneys argued that Walsh was following her doctors’ recommendations and that TQL’s refusal to accommodate her request contributed directly to the tragedy. Matthew C. Metzger of Wolterman Law Office, LPA, stated that the jury’s verdict underscored the importance of workplace flexibility during medical emergencies.#chelsea_walsh #magnolia #total_quality_logistics #wolterman_law_office #the_butler_trial_firm
Ohio Firm Ordered to Pay $22.5 Million After Denying Work-from-Home Request Led to Baby’s Death A Columbus-based logistics company, Total Quality Logistics (TQL), has been ordered to pay $22.5 million in damages to Chelsea Walsh, a mother whose newborn daughter died shortly after she was denied a work-from-home arrangement during a high-risk pregnancy. The verdict, delivered in a wrongful death case, came after a jury found that TQL’s refusal to accommodate Walsh’s request contributed to the tragic outcome. Walsh, who was four to five months pregnant at the time, initially asked TQL to allow her to work remotely in February 2021. The request came after she underwent a medical procedure to prevent preterm labor. According to her lawsuit, the company rejected her request, forcing her into an “impossible choice” between returning to the office and risking her child’s health or taking unpaid leave and losing her income and health insurance. Despite her doctor’s advice to avoid stress, Walsh returned to the workplace on February 22, 2021. On the evening of February 24, 2021, Walsh gave birth to her daughter, Magnolia, while still at work. The same day, her manager informed her that TQL had “reconsidered” its decision and allowed her to work from home. However, Magnolia died in Walsh’s arms approximately 90 minutes after birth. The lawsuit states that the infant had a heartbeat, was breathing, and showed fetal movement before passing away. The jury ruled in Walsh’s favor, concluding that TQL’s denial of her reasonable accommodation for a high-risk pregnancy directly led to the child’s death. “The evidence showed that Chelsea Walsh was following her doctors’ instructions for a high-risk pregnancy and simply asked to work from home,” said her lawyer, Matthew C. Metzger.#total_quality_logistics #chelsea_walsh #magnolia #matthew_c_metzger #julia_daugherty
