When Should You Hire a Birth Injury Attorney?
Childbirth is a life-altering event in everyone’s life. But medical malpractices impose a high risk in both the mother’s and baby’s life. Some injuries might have life-threatening impacts, while others can cause permanent injuries or mental disabilities. So, do you believe the newborn baby has experienced birth injury due to medical malpractices by hospital staff? Hire a birth injury lawyer salt lake city today.
Is Birth Injury a Type of Personal Injury?
A birth injury can be any injury a baby suffers during, before, or directly after birth. While some suffer from negligible injuries during the delivery, others may face serious complications. More importantly, it might result in a child developing a permanent disability.
But note that birth defect and birth injury are not the same. Birth defects or congenital malformation are the abnormalities a child typically has when inside the womb. But birth injuries may be a result of brain damage caused by conditions and risk factors during childbirth.
Cases When a Birth Injury Claim is Valid
Besides medical malpractices, other conditions may result in a birth injury. If you think the mother or child has experienced any of these before, during, and directly after childbirth, it’s time to consult a legal associate today.
#1 Late Response to the Fetal Distress
Doctors and medical staff should monitor both the mother and baby during the delivery and labor. When a baby doesn’t get monitored during labor, a medical team might miss out on signs of the baby in distress.
In distress, a baby might lose oxygen and may result in severe brain injuries, including:
- Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL)
- Intracranial hemorrhage
- Cerebral dysgenesis
Speak to a birth injury attorney if the child is born with brain damage or injury.
#2 Injuries Occurring Out of Delivery
A medical team should perform different examinations on the baby and mother during the delivery & labor. These examinations’ prime objective is to detect any underlying issues with delivery. Suppose a baby is larger than the regular size or the mother isn’t progressing through the labor. These conditions may increase the potential risks of injuries. Infants who aren’t in the breech position may be in danger.
#3 Delayed Cesarean Delivery
Suppose the infant, during the delivery stage, becomes distressed. In such cases, doctors should decide whether to continue vaginal delivery or cesarean section. If they choose the C-section after delay, the infant might suffer from severe physical damage.
A quick note: Delaying a C-section might lead to a lack of oxygen in a baby, leading to Cerebral Palsy and other brain damages.
#4 Injuries Occurring Due to Vacuum Extractor or Forceps
Suppose the baby gets stuck in a birth canal. In that case, medical associates might use tools to assist them in extracting the baby securely. These tools include vacuum extractors and forceps. With proper performance, assisted delivery must never harm the baby. But if it does, the infant might suffer from brain bleeding, fatal skull damage, etc.
So, speak to a legal professional if you believe your baby or someone else’s has undergone severe injuries during delivery.
