Procanik v. Cillo
New Jersey Supreme Court
478 A.2d 755 (1984)
Dr. Cillo (defendant) negligently misread a test and told Rosemary Procanik she did not have German measles during her pregnancy, causing her to continue the pregnancy she would have terminated had she known, resulting in her son Peter (plaintiff) being born with congenital rubella syndrome and numerous birth defects; Peter sued for both his extraordinary medical expenses and general damages for emotional distress and impaired childhood, and the lower courts dismissed his suit entirely.
Whether, in a wrongful-life suit, an infant may recover general damages for his emotional distress and impaired childhood, as well as special damages for the extraordinary medical expenses attributable to his affliction.