From choosing a name and painting a nursery, to buying a stroller and putting together a crib, there’s a great deal of preparation that goes into the birth of a baby. However, nothing can prepare a family for the devastation, fear, and anxiety that can come with delivery. If a child suffers a birth injury, it’s important for their parents to file a claim as soon as possible. Below, readers can learn how a child birth injury lawyer in New London, CT can help them move on after a birth injury.
How Birth Injuries Occur
While most people see a baby’s birth as a routine, natural occurrence, many things can go wrong during labor and delivery. In some instances, the failures or actions of doctors, nurses and facilities can contribute to or cause a birth injury. Examples of delivery-related medical negligence include:
• Failure to monitor a baby’s or mother’s vital signs.
• Failing to see that the baby is distressed.
• Delayed action during long labor.
• Forceps use during delivery.
• Excessive force in delivery.
Common Birth Injuries
Potential injuries during delivery can vary in permanency and severity. Some of these injuries are temporary and highly treatable, while others can cause lifelong disabilities and other damage. The most common birth injuries include those listed here.
• HIE or hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy can cause cognitive impairments and brain damage.
• Cerebral palsy can come from an untreated infection, delivery trauma or oxygen deprivation. It can result in brain damage and other permanent effects.
• Brachial plexus is caused when a child’s upper arm is injured during delivery. It can result in a diminished use of that arm, as well as decreased coordination and muscle weakness.
How a Lawyer Can Help
When a physician’s negligence contributes to or causes an injury during birth, parents should investigate what happened and find out who’s responsible. In these cases, a child birth injury lawyer in New London, CT can provide courtroom advocacy, guidance, and legal advice.
A medical malpractice claim can help parents gain compensation for the financial and personal losses associated with a birth injury, and it can force facilities to make changes that ensure others don’t suffer a similar fate. Browse the website or call the office of Stephen M. Reck to schedule an appointment.
