A birth injury lawyer can help parents and families of babies who were born with severe health complications due to the negligence of a health care provider. When children suffer complications during childbirth, it can cause hardships on families, including economic damages. Affected children and their families may be eligible to file a lawsuit and seek compensation with the help of a medical malpractice attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group today. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated birth injury lawyer who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What are Birth Injuries?
Childbirth is arguably one of the most beautiful experiences in the life of a parent. That experience can be tainted, however, if improper medical care or negligence on the part of doctors or nurses results in a birth injury that will likely forever change the life of the child. During pregnancy, labor, and childbirth, both the baby and mother must be monitored for dangerous conditions such as fetal distress and hypoxia (oxygen deficiency). If they are not, devastating conditions such as brain damage, nerve damage, cerebral palsy, and death may occur.
A difficult birth or injury to the baby may result from the baby’s position or size during labor and delivery. Conditions sometimes associated with a difficult birth include an abnormal birthing presentation, prolonged labor, dystocia, cephalopelvic disproportion (a pelvis too small to accommodate the baby), premature birth, or large babies.
One of the most serious health problems caused by both medical malpractice and birth injuries during labor or childbirth is cerebral palsy. The condition is believed to occur due to a lack of oxygen in the infant’s brain during the childbirth process. Cerebral palsy has a lifelong impact on affected babies and their families because it encompasses several neurological disorders that hinder muscle coordination and body movement. Other serious birth injuries may include:
- Fractured bones
- Erb’s Palsy
- Facial paralysis
- Cephalohematoma
- Swelling of the baby’s scalp
- Subconjunctival hemorrhage
- Bruising or forceps marks
- Brain injury due to trauma or reduced oxygen or glucose
When delivery complications occur, affected families can contact a birth injury lawyer to find out what kind of a case they may be eligible to bring against the responsible parties.
How a Birth Injury Lawyer Can Help
An experienced birth injury lawyer knows that many factors can contribute to complications during childbirth: the position of the baby, the mother’s health, and the timing of the delivery. Additionally, certain instruments and methods used by the medical team during delivery may contribute to complications and cause injury.
The parents of children who suffered birth injuries due to healthcare provider negligence may be entitled to compensation for damages, including the child’s:
- Medical expenses
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Scarring or physical deformities caused by the birth defect or treatment
If a child died due to a birth injury, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Conscious pain and suffering of their child prior to death
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a child
- Funeral expenses
Affected families are encouraged to seek the advice of a birth injury lawyer to learn more about their rights and remedies.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
