When you have a baby, it should be the happiest day of your life. Unfortunately, many families are left devastated as a result of the negligence and carelessness of doctors, nurses and healthcare providers.
Our birth injury lawyers have helped families struggling with enormous medical expenses as a result of medical errors. Many children need special care including future medical needs, special schooling and modifications to homes to try to get their lives back on track. The lawyers at Salango Law, PLLC have decades of experience taking on careless hospitals and doctors who cause harm.
If you believe your child was injured at birth, our law firm will investigate your claim at no charge. To find out if you could be owed compensation, fill out our free case evaluation form.
Birth Injury Lawsuits
When an child is injured during birth, the child’s parents may be able to hold the hospital or doctor accountable by filing a medical malpractice claim.
Medical negligence occurs when a healthcare professional’s care falls below certain standards of care for a similar healthcare provider. Our birth injury attorneys have extensive experience in handling these types of lawsuits and can determine whether your child was injured due to medical malpractice.
Many birth injuries are caused by the following practices:
- Negligent Use of Forceps: When a mother is having difficulty delivering her child or if the infant is improperly positioned in the womb, the attending physician may use forceps to help the child along. Proper use of forceps could reduce the child’s risk of oxygen deprivation and fetal distress, conditions that have been linked to cerebral palsy and other birth injuries. However, doctors have to be extremely careful, as forceps can cause nerve damage in the child’s neck or chest, and other, less severe injuries to the head.
- Negligent Vacuum Use: When the mother is having difficulties expelling the fetus from the birth canal, a vacuum may be needed to assist her. Vacuums can be latched onto a baby’s shoulder or head and guide the child through the birth canal. Doctors and nurses are responsible for properly placing the vacuum on the infant. When the vacuum is improperly used, severe injuries to both the mother and newborn can result.
- Delay in Performing Caesarian Section: Emergency C-sections are ordered if the child is suffering from fetal distress. This often occurs when the child’s heart rate slows as a result of a sudden drop in the mother’s blood pressure, bleeding from placental abruption or other problems in delivery. If the delivery team fails to recognize that the mother needs to have a C-section delivery, they may be liable if their lack of perception causes injuries for the mother and/or child.
- Hypoxia or Lack of Oxygen: During childbirth, hypoxia can be caused by a tangled umbilical cord, infection or damage to the placenta. Medical practitioners are trained to detect hypoxia well in advance and to take steps to eliminate the chance of harm to either the mother or child. If the doctor fails to notice the hypoxic event and take quick, necessary action to avoid injury, they may be liable for any resulting damages. If hypoxia is not quickly addressed, the child can develop chronic mental and physical disabilities.
Birth injuries may also stem from the following, which may indicate medical negligence:
- Failing to properly use the labor-inducing drug Pitocin
- Neglecting to perform specialized tests during pregnancy
- Failing to diagnose or treat infections, placental abruption, umbilical cord entrapment, or premature rupture of the membranes
- Neglecting to refer high-risk patients to doctors specialized in this area
- Failing to note and address changes in the fetus’ condition
- Failing to perform sufficient prenatal testing
- Neglecting to communicate problems to doctors
If you suspect your child was injured as a result of medical malpractice, call the experienced birth injury lawyers at Salango Law, PLLC. Our dedicated team reviews cases throughout West Virginia and will review your claim for free.