When medical staff does not pay attention to the fetal heart rate during labor and delivery, a baby can be deprived of oxygen for too long. This can cause a number of issues. These include hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), which can cause brain damage and conditions such as neonatal seizures, cerebral palsy, periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), motor disorders, hydrocephalus, developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities and other birth injuries. Hold medical negligence from delayed delivers that cause a birth injury accountable.
About Birth Injuries
A birth injury is not a birth defect. A birth defect is a health problem that usually is DNA related. Some examples are Down Syndrome, a cleft palate or even a heart murmur. Sometimes birth defects derive from outside factors like taking SSRIs during pregnancy. A birth injury is one suffered by a child during labor or delivery or soon after birth. Birth injuries may range from minor problems such as lacerations or bruising to severe injuries that could prove fatal. These injuries can derive from medical staff making mistakes that harm your child. These mistakes could hurt him or her for their entire life. These mistakes could happen for a variety of reasons, including inattentiveness, exhaustion, or inexperience. Researchers have pinpointed other causes of increased birth injuries.
More Birth Injuries With Delayed Birth
When a woman goes into labor, there are established timelines for safe and normal progression. However, if the labor takes too long or becomes stalled, a knowledgeable healthcare team must assess and decide if there is an arrest of labor. It is important to realize that when an arrest of labor happens, the baby could be in distress. This distress means the child is displaying a troubling fetal heart rate. Then, medical professionals should utilize different interventions for a safe delivery. Most will try to deliver vaginally if possible. However, allowing labor to continue for too long increases the risk of a birth injury. This includes oxygen deprivation and birth trauma. If vaginal birth is not possible, doctors and nurses must be prepared to quickly move to a C-section to prevent the baby from developing HIE and other oxygen deprivation injuries.
Not Prepared For Fetal Distress
Medical negligence during birth occurs most often when a health care team does not move a mother quickly to a C-section delivery. As soon as there are fetal distress and unusual fetal heart patterns, this should happen. A C-section is the safest and fastest way to deliver a baby in distress. When a medical team fails to act with urgency in delivery a child, they can injure the baby. The delay caused the baby to be deprived of oxygen for too long. Then, a brain injury occurred. The most common injury is HIE. An emergency C-section could have prevented it. A child with HIE will live with neonatal seizures, cerebral palsy, motor disorders, periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), hydrocephalus, intellectual disabilities, developmental delays, and other long-term problems.
Hold Doctors Liable for Increased Birth Injuries
The court can hold medical professionals liable for their negligence. Many states prove medical malpractice by a medical professional breaching the standard of care. Therefore, they cause harm to their patient. Standard of care means the acceptable procedures and practices within the profession and geographic area.
Birth injuries are costly. You could receive compensation for your baby’s injuries. This includes medical care, hospital visits, medication, physical therapy, special-needs equipment and education, counseling, psychological services, and pain and suffering. In many states, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims is two years from the date of the injury or from the date when the patient knew or should have known that the injury occurred. This is why it is important to act quickly and chose a knowledgeable complex litigation attorney.
Therefore, it is important to remember that if your child’s birth injuries are a result of medical negligence and carelessness, the medical staff, hospital, and/or physician may be liable for damages. A complex litigation attorney can help. At The Michael Brady Lynch Firm, our lawyers have decades of experience helping injured people get justice and full compensation for injuries caused by negligence. The Michel Brady Lynch Firm regularly takes on the largest corporations in the world with a track record of proven success and results. Contact The Michael Brady Lynch Firm today, and our attorneys will review your case for free and help you protect your rights. Therefore, for your complimentary consultation, call our office now.