Fort Lauderdale Birth Injury Lawyer
Childbirth should be a time of joy, but for many parents the experience anything but joyful. When a doctor makes a mistake during labor or delivery, the results can be tragic—for both mother and child. At Leifer & Ramirez, we have met with families whose children have suffered devastating brain or nerve injuries because of medical malpractice. We have also met with people who lost a wife or child in the delivery room. To find out whether you have a legal case for medical malpractice, please reach out to one of our Fort Lauderdale birth injury lawyers today.
Common Birth Injuries—Children
Many things can go wrong during delivery, and children can suffer serious injuries that last a lifetime. For example, some children will suffer:
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Brachial plexus injury. This injury affects the network of nerves that originate in the neck and control movement in much of the upper body. A doctor can injure these nerves by tugging too hard on the child’s arm during delivery.
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Cerebral palsy. Injury to a baby’s brain can lead to motor deficiency
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Hypoxic ischemia. The brain is injured because of a lack of oxygen and blood. Children can develop an array of problems, including cognitive deficiency.
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Skull fractures. A doctor might misuse forceps during delivery, fracturing the skull in the process.
Some children also die because doctors did not properly diagnose fetal distress or respond to it in an appropriate manner.
Birth Injuries—Mothers
Mothers are also at risk. According to an explosive report published by USA Today, many mothers suffer grievous injury and even death for easily preventable reasons:
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High blood pressure. Doctors fail to monitor the mother’s blood pressure and treat it in a timely manner. Sometimes, mothers are sent home with dangerously high blood pressure, which can lead to stroke.
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Blood loss. After a C-section or vaginal delivery, a mother might begin bleeding internal. Many doctors ignore signs of blood loss, such as a falling blood pressure. Many women bleed to death because doctors do not find the bleeding.
According to experts with the American Hospital Association, about 50% of these deaths could be avoided if doctors took necessary precautions. However, appropriate federal oversight has been scant.
A Doctor’s Duty of Care
Not every injury is preventable. The fact that your child has a birth defect does not necessarily mean a medical mistake is to blame. However, doctors do owe their patients a duty to use the skill and care that other medical professionals would use in the same circumstances. In sum, this means your doctor must be competent.
Situations that can give rise to negligence include:
- Failing to monitor mother or child during labor and delivery;
- Failing to diagnose distress and respond appropriately;
- Delayed C-section;
- Improper use of anesthetics, including giving the wrong dosage; and
- Inadequate monitoring of mother or child after delivery.
Each situation is different and must be analyzed on its own facts, so it is critical that you reach out to a birth injury lawyer right away.
Speak with a Birth Injury Lawyer in Fort Lauderdale
If you or your baby has suffered an injury, a medical mistake might be to blame. To find out more about your baby’s condition, you should consult with a skilled Fort Lauderdale birth injury lawyer today. At Leifer & Ramirez, our team has helped countless families uncover what happened in the delivery room. We can consult with experts who analyze the decisions made during delivery and pinpoint whether your obstetrician made a tragic mistake.
To schedule your free consultation, please contact us today.
