Birthing Injuries and Malpractice
Giving birth can be one of the most happy and life-altering experiences a mother can experience. That is why it’s important to help ensure that both mother and baby are kept as safe as possible before, during, and after childbirth.
Unfortunately, medical mistakes can occur, resulting in harm to the mother and/or infant. Our medical malpractice team at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys is here to go over the different aspects of birthing injuries and other important details you need to know.
Birthing Injuries
Sometimes, an OB/GYN or other medical professional may act negligently or fail to responsibly manage their medical facility. Either way, a birthing injury could occur to the mother, the infant, or to both because of these failures.
Possible birthing injuries a baby may experience as a result of negligence include:
- Brain injuries – Fetal brain injuries can occur because of a variety of reasons, from too much pressure on the skull to oxygen deprivation. Babies could have lasting severe mental disability, and or death.
- Brachial Palsy – Sometimes, an OB/GYN may pull on the baby too hard or in an incorrect way during the delivery. This can result in the bundle of nerves called the brachial plexus to suffer harm and can result in numbness, weakness, and loss of motion in the arm and shoulder areas.
- Fractures – An OB/GYN may, as is the case with other injuries, pull too hard or in an incorrect way on the baby. When this happens, the baby may suffer a bone fracture. While injuries during delivery aren’t always unavoidable, the doctor should have first considered alternative approaches, such as a cesarean section.
- Facial Paralysis – Too much pressure on the head or incorrect use of forceps/vacuum can lead to damaged nerves in the facial area. This could mean that the baby may not be able to close one eye or even move one side of their face. While most of these such injuries are minor and clear up, some cases result in permanent inability to move or feel one side of the face.
- Cephalohematoma – This occurs when the baby starts bleeding between the cranial bone and the skin and is marked by a raised bump on the scalp. While cephalohematoma usually clears up on its own, it leaves the baby more susceptible to other conditions such as anemia, jaundice, and even meningitis.
Birthing injuries that can happen to the mother may include:
- Incorrect and harmful sutchering
- Failure to diagnose and treat pre-eclampsia (which can lead to seizures)
- Ruptured or prolapsed uterus
- Paralysis (i.e. from a botched epidural)
- Wrongful death
If you or your baby suffered an injury at the hands of a negligent physician or midwife, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact a medical malpractice attorney from Lerner and Rowe right away to learn more about your rights.
Wrongful Birth & Child Defects
Wrongful birth occurs when a medical professional fails to notify the parents of possible birth defects that could be present in their baby. If the parents did know, they then would have had more information that could have possibly influenced their future choices.
Usually, wrongful birth occurs when the medical professional conducts genetic testing in an improper way or when the medical professional fails to notify the parents of possible genetic conditions the baby could possess.
When parents bring forth a wrongful birth case, possible compensation could include funds for the child’s life-long medical expenses, educational therapy for the child, and compensation for the pain and suffering that may develop from raising a child with a severe birth defect.
Suffer a Birth-related Injury from Medical Malpractice?
If you or your child suffered serious permanent injury or death at the hands of a negligent medical professional, contact a medical malpractice lawyer at Lerner and Rowe immediately. Our legal team works tirelessly to assist those who believe they are victims of a medical error.
For immediate attention, please call us anytime at 844-977-1900 or contact us online through a contact form. You can also connect with us through our convenient online LiveChat feature.
Don’t hesitate to seek legal help when you need it most. Contact Lerner and Rowe today!