We trust doctors and other healthcare professionals to provide life-saving care. In most cases, as patients, we receive the high-quality medical care we’ve come to expect. However, there are instances when negligent care or medical error results in a serious personal injury that was otherwise preventable. And birth injury is no exception. A birth injury occurs when a doctor, hospital, or other medical staff acts negligently, failing to provide reasonable care which in turn causes an infant’s injury.
What Is a Birth Injury?
Birth injuries can be caused by a lack of oxygen to the baby’s brain and sometimes by a brain infection. Birth injuries can also be caused by physical trauma during labor and delivery. These resulting injuries can range from very mild (including minor bruising and small cuts lasting only a few days) to very severe (including nerve or brain damage lasting a life-time). The most common types of birth injuries include:
- Brain Damage
- Cerebral Palsy
- Erb’s Palsy
- Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
- Brain Bleeds
- Major Infections
- Premature Birth
- Seizures
These injuries are quite severe. Your child may face a lifetime of challenges, as well as the expenses that accompany living with these injuries. Our attorneys are committed to advocating on behalf of you and your injured child.
What Causes a Birth Injury?
Oxygen deprivation is one of the most common causes of birth injuries. But there are other causes to be aware of that may lead to serious permanent damage to your baby. When one of the following problems arises during pregnancy, labor or delivery, proper medical care should be the response:
- Placenta Previa
- Uterine Rupture
- Placental Abruption
- Fetal Heart Rate Problems
- Using Forceps Incorrectly
- Delaying or Failing To Order a C-Section
- Misdiagnosing or Mistreating Maternal or Fetal Infection
We most often associate birth injuries with newborn babies. But, the mother can also suffer from a healthcare professional’s negligence, before and during birth. Medical negligence affecting the mother includes negligently failing to control excessive blood loss from the mother after delivery of the baby, and negligently failing to recognize fetal distress. Not only is a mother vulnerable to physical injury due to the negligence of medical professionals in the time leading up to and including birth, but she may also suffer from emotional injury as well. Parents of a baby with a birth injury, no matter how minor, may be entitled to compensation for emotional injury and future medical expenses.
How the Shelnutt Law Firm Will Fight for You
Our job as your attorneys is to protect your rights and to help you restore your life medically, financially and emotionally, to what it was prior to your birth injury. Our highly skilled lawyers and paralegal team will investigate your case, hire necessary expert witnesses, and do everything in our power to fight for compensation for all of the consequences of the birth injury, such as:
- Medical Bills
- Loss of Income
- Loss of Benefits
- Pain and Suffering
We offer a NO FEE GUARANTEE, meaning that our firm will cover all of our fees, investigation charges and the costs of expert witnesses up-front. You won’t be charged unless you make a recovery in your case.
If your baby suffered a birth injury as a result of medical practitioner negligence, you may be wondering where to turn to next. A birth injury is not only frightening but can also be financially draining. Turn to us at Shelnutt Law Firm, where we can answer your questions using our experience to guide you throughout the entire process. Let us focus on fighting for you, so you can concentrate on your family.
Call us today at 256-547-4988 to schedule a FREE case review and determine how we can help you. Our attorneys are proud to serve victims of medical negligence throughout the Southeast.