Birth Injuries and Medical Malpractice
Childbirth can be a scary process, but parents should be able to trust medical professionals to keep the experience safe for both mother and child. Unfortunately, when medical professionals neglect their duty and fail to uphold the accepted standard of care, it can result in birth injuries. Medical malpractice birth injuries can have both short- and long-term consequences for a child and their parents.
Attorneys from the Tawwater Law Firm work with victims of various types of medical malpractice to pursue compensation for resulting damages. Following a birth injury our Oklahoma City, OK, legal team gathers evidence to hold liable medical providers accountable for losses stemming from birth injuries. Here we provide an overview of the types of birth injuries that can be caused by medical malpractice during pregnancy, labor, and/or delivery, as well as the physical, emotional, and financial damages that may result.
Medical Malpractice During Pregnancy and Childbirth
Throughout pregnancy and into the labor and delivery process, medical professionals should be monitoring the health of both the mother and child, performing necessary wellness tests, and looking for any conditions that could lead to complications during labor or delivery. Negligence during any point of prenatal care or childbirth can lead to birth injuries. Common examples of medical malpractice during pregnancy, labor, and delivery include:
- Failure to screen for, diagnose, or treat health conditions that could increase the risk of labor and delivery
- Failing to monitor the vital signs of the mother and fetus during labor and delivery
- Failure to diagnose and/or respond to fetal distress
- Failure to order or delaying the order of a medically necessary c-section
- Improper use of forceps or vacuum extractor during delivery
- Excessively pulling or twisting a baby to get them out of the birth canal
Birth Injuries Caused by Medical Malpractice
Unfortunately, medical negligence during pregnancy or labor and delivery often leads to birth injuries. Birth injuries can result in short-term damage, or it can result in long-term or lifelong complications for the child. The impact of a birth injury depends on the type of injury sustained and the severity of the injury. Birth injuries that may be caused by medical malpractice include:
- Newborn jaundice
- Newborn cephalohematoma
- Kernicterus
- Skull fracture
- Spinal cord injuries
- Erb’s palsy
- Cerebral palsy
- Brain damage
Damages for Birth Injuries
Birth injuries can put a physical, emotional, and financial strain on the child and their family. When holding liable medical providers accountable for damages caused by their neglect, it is important to consider all areas of loss. Potential areas of compensation for our Oklahoma City medical malpractice clients include:
- Medical expenses
- Anticipated future medical costs
- Cost of ongoing therapy or rehabilitation (i.e. speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychotherapy)
- Cost of any necessary assistive medical devices
- Lost income or loss of wage earning potential
- Diminished quality of life
- Pain and suffering
Contact Us
If your child suffered a birth injury and you believe that medical neglect is to blame, attorneys at the Tawwater Law Firm can help you consider if you have grounds to file a medical malpractice claim. To discuss the details of your case with our legal team, send us a message online, or call our Oklahoma City law firm at (405) 607-1400.
