Birth injuries or defects that result from medical malpractice or carelessness call for civil action. Doctors owe a legal duty to maintain certain safety and care standards during all the treatment stages, especially for pregnant women. This is because even the smallest mistakes and equipment malfunctions that the medical staff often overlook during delivery can lead to serious birth injuries that may affect your child for the rest of their life.
Parents usually don’t know what to do after such a devastating event. Of course, parents need to stay calm and seek legal help in these situations. It would be best to contact a Maryland birth injury lawyer right away so you can settle things accordingly. In this article, we will shed some light on the 3 most common birth defects that result from medical negligence during or before the delivery.
Subgaleal Hematoma
Subgaleal Hematoma is a birth defect or condition resulting in new infants from the misuse of delivery equipment. It happens when the vacuum is applied directly onto the newborn’s head during delivery. This leads to significant head trauma, intracranial hemorrhage, or fracture of the skull of the newborn. The baby may also develop serious swelling that can last for days after the delivery, even if proper treatment was provided. Sometimes, babies may even go through hemorrhagic shock and require transfusion or phototherapy.
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that affects an infant’s body movement and muscle coordination. Cerebral palsy injuries can occur before, during, or after childbirth, so it’s important to contact a cerebral palsy lawyer if you suspect any malpractice-related injuries that may have happened to your baby. It’s best to contact a locally-based lawyer who can come to your aid quickly, so if you live in Philadelphia, for example, look for a Pennsylvania-based lawyer.
This condition can also be brought on as a result of a head injury that might have taken place during pregnancy. However, it’s always safe to consult a legal expert on whether or not your infant’s birth injuries have resulted from a form of medical malpractice.
Abrasions and Lacerations
Delivery instruments used during delivery such as vacuums, forceps, and scalpels can injure newborns and cause fatal or life-threatening lacerations and abrasions. The misuse of delivery equipment by doctors during childbirth can harm your child significantly and leave serious or permanent injuries. The healing process of these injuries can be even more complicated as usually antibiotic treatments, suturing, and extremely careful cleaning are required.
If these treatments are not followed properly, the baby’s wounds can develop an infection and risk your child’s life. It would also be essential in these cases to contact a birth injury lawyer who can guide you through the legal process of raising a medical malpractice claim.
Birth injuries can be devastating to the parents of the injured child. Doctors and nurses have a legal duty to follow high safety and health standards when performing medical procedures and throughout their patients’ treatments, in general. That’s why you need to contact a birth injury lawyer if anything were to happen to your newborn before or after delivery. A birth injury lawyer will be able to help you hold the people in charge liable for their reckless behaviors and get you rightful compensation.