Is Your Child a Victim of Medical Malpractice?

One of the most significant moments in a parent’s life is the birth of their child. However, when an infant suffers a birth injury, what should be a joyful occasion is often marred by shock and fear instead.

The medical staff’s responsibility is to prevent delivery injuries, but any mistakes they make can have serious consequences. When a child suffers harm during labor and delivery due to the carelessness of a medical professional, it may be considered medical malpractice.

What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice is when a healthcare practitioner or provider fails to offer a patient the proper care, neglects to take the appropriate action or gives a patient subpar care that results in harm, injury or death.

In cases of malpractice or neglect, a medical error is usually involved. This may occur during a patient’s care, from first evaluation to follow-up. Patients who suffer an injury due to subpar care may be entitled to financial compensation under medical malpractice legislation.

Birth Injuries Brought on by Medical Malpractice

Birth injuries can be fatal, forever altering the parents’ lives. Some birth injuries may be minor and transient, but others may be permanent. The following are some common birth injuries:

• Cerebral palsy – This is caused by oxygen deprivation during childbirth or soon after.
• Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy – This is a severe birth injury caused by oxygen deprivation and poor blood flow. Children with this form of brain injury generally need lifelong care.
• Bruising
• Disfigurement or scarring – This is caused by inappropriate use of a scalpel during a c-section, forceps or vacuum extractor.
• Kernicterus – This injury results from improper management of jaundice, a highly treatable condition. Untreated jaundice in newborns can result in kernicterus, a rare but serious complication. Kernicterus causes severe and permanent brain damage in infants.
• Brachial plexus injuries – This birth injury is commonly caused by failing to check for cephalopelvic disproportion or incorrect pulling or yanking of the baby’s head, neck or shoulders during delivery. Infants who suffer brachial plexus injuries may experience pain and lifelong mobility issues.
• Broken bones or fractures – This may happen if the infant is mishandled during delivery or if it is dropped after delivery. If the doctor does not proceed to conduct a c-section, cephalopelvic disproportion may result in shattered bones or fractures.
• Brain damage – There are many reasons brain injury can occur, including missed symptoms of fetal distress, improper resuscitation or oxygenation of a newborn experiencing respiratory distress.
• Stillbirth
• Seizures – A lack of oxygen or improperly treated hypoglycemia at birth can cause seizures. With appropriate medical treatment, both of these issues can be avoided.
• Erb’s palsy – This particular brachial plexus injury results from improper handling of the newborn during delivery.
• Learning disabilities – Babies can have learning disabilities from hypoxia (not enough oxygen) during delivery or premature birth, and the effects may not appear immediately. While failure to stop pre-term labor when it may be prevented is regarded as medical negligence, premature birth is not always the result of malpractice.

Scheduling a Consultation with Moriarty Injury Lawyer

You might consider speaking with an experienced personal injury lawyer if your child is hurt due to prenatal malpractice. The lawyers at Moriarty Injury Lawyer work vigilantly on every case. They assist clients in Georgia in receiving birth injury compensation and protect against any potential damages. Make an appointment today.