Doctors, like anyone else, are only human and can make mistakes. Sometimes, however, doctors fail to live up to the legal medical standard of care1 required and patients suffer unnecessary injury or complications. In such cases, the negligent doctor has committed medical malpractice and should be held liable for any losses suffered by injured patients.
One type of medical malpractice that is particularly troubling is making a mistake that results in a birth injury. Such malpractice can cause an otherwise healthy infant to suffer long-term conditions that may cause their lives to be substantially more difficult than they would have been without the injury. Calculating recovery in birth injury can be complicated as damages may include all future estimated medical expenses, loss of quality of life, and more.
Types of malpractice that can cause injuries to newborns
Birth injuries can result from medical negligence during pregnancy, labor, childbirth, or the time following childbirth. Some ways a doctor can be negligent include:
- Failing to diagnose a condition of the mother during the pregnancy, including preeclampsia, diabetes, certain types of infections or sexually transmitted diseases, and others that result in medical conditions of the unborn child.
- Failing to perform adequate tests or to identify any potential medical issues of the unborn child that may cause complications during childbirth.
- Not properly monitoring the oxygen levels and heart rates of mother and child during labor.
- Not taking appropriate action to conduct a cesarean section or other emergency procedure if the baby or mother is in danger.
- Improper uses of vacuums, forceps, or other birthing tools that can cause brain damage to the infant.
- Not providing necessary treatment in a timely manner for jaundice or other medical conditions of the newborn that may result in long-lasting brain damage or other medical conditions if not treated.
- Not adequately controlling blood loss of the mother after delivery.
Some of the most common birth injuries suffered as a result of medical malpractice include cerebral palsy, Erb's palsy (also known as brachial plexus injury),2 hypoxia,3 and more. Some of these conditions may cause life-long physical or mental disabilities in the victims, who may even require special care their entire lives. If such birth injuries were caused by negligent acts of a medical professional, the victims and their parents deserve to fully recover for their losses.
Contact an experienced Detroit birth injury attorney for a free consultation
Any case alleging medical malpractice will have complex legal issues and specific standards that must be met to prove a claim. Hospitals and doctors are aware of the risks of medical malpractice claims and have legal and insurance defense in place who work to avoid liability whenever possible. For this reason, you always want to ensure that you seek help from an attorney who specifically understands how medical malpractice cases work. At the Michigan firm of Michigan Injury Lawyers, our personal injury attorneys are committed to helping you and your child fully recover for any preventable birth injuries. Please call us today for a free consultation at 888-454-0801.
https://www.michiganinjurylawyers.com/michigan-birth-injury-attorney//
References:
1http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3088386/
2http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/brachial-plexus-injury/
basics/causes/con-20028265
3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoxia_%28medical%29