Evanston Northwestern Healthcare will pay $20 million after settling a medical-negligence lawsuit Monday, just before a Cook County jury was scheduled to begin deliberations.

A suburban Chicago couple sued the hospital in July 1999 for injuries their baby sustained during a breech delivery at Evanston Hospital, which is overseen by Evanston Northwestern Healthcare. The child, now 5, will have permanent nerve damage, said the couple’s lawyer, Thomas Demetrio of Chicago firm Corboy & Demetrio.

Demetrio, a member of Northwestern’s Kellogg Dispute Resolution Research Center’s Advisory Committee, said the hospital should pay damages because doctors failed to perform a caesarean section.

“Doctors are human, capable of negligence,” Demetrio said. “When it adversely affects somebody, they should be held accountable.”

Gail Polzin, spokeswoman for Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, said the child’s injuries stemmed from an individual’s judgement.

“We don’t think the physician or anyone else

involved did anything inappropriate,” she said.

She said Cook County’s high awards for malpractice suits have cost the hospital significantly.

“Cook County is the second- or third-worst jurisdiction in the United States for malpractice awards,” Polzin said.

Demetrio disagreed with blaming the courts.

“Every case stands on its own merits,” he said.