Maryland Birth Injury Lawyers
One of the most important events in anyone’s life is the birth of a child. Fortunately, most child births go smoothly and turn out to be the source of absolute joy for the parents. On the downside, however, there are some cases that have complications in the gestational or birth process. These complications may be hard to detect or resolve and may end up inflicting harm on the newborn. In some cases, though, all of these complications can easily be avoided with the help of proper decisions made by doctors. There are many state and federal laws that provide for safeguards of the newborn.
The fact of the matter is that every individual case has its own set of circumstances and the cause of birth injuries may vary greatly in every case. In many cases, the cause is the doctor’s negligence, and not that the injuries to the newborn were caused by inadequate prenatal care.
When harm is brought on by the inattentiveness of the medical practitioner, the law provides the parents with redress against the doctor in question. For instance, if the doctor had identified high risk factors during the gestational period, such as high blood pressure, low hemoglobin levels, or the ill-informed use of medical tools and devices such as vacuum or forceps, then the doctor will often be held responsible for the damages caused to the newborn.
Other acts of negligence include the inability of the doctor to perform a C-section to deliver the baby in case of an emergency, or an inadequate or inaccurate assessment of the baby’s health before, during, and after birth.
What can you do in case of medical negligence?
If a couple is confident that their doctor has been negligent during the birthing process of their baby, State law allows them to file a lawsuit against the doctor. There are various types of medical negligence (also known as medical malpractice) lawsuits that can be filed against a negligent doctor. These medical malpractice claims can also be filed against the medical facility where the birth of the baby occurred.
Identifying birth injuries and defects
It is important that expert analysis is used to distinguish a birth defect from a birth injury. For example, a newborn suffering from cerebral palsy may have been damaged because of lack of oxygen during labor. Under some circumstances, this type of birth defect could have been prevented, making this a case of avoidable birth injury. In other circumstances, however, the reason for this condition may not have been preventable.
If you or a loved one is a victim of medical malpractice leading to birth injuries, let the attorneys at Altmark, Rotter & Trock, LLP take care of the proceedings. Please call us for a free consultation at (410) 783-9230, or toll-free outside of Baltimore at 1-(888) 966-5566.