Atlanta Birth Injury Attorney
Birth injuries are among the most traumatic, and most expensive, incidents of medical malpractice. An injury to the child during pregnancy, labor or delivery can require intensive care and complex surgeries, and they can cause lifelong physical and mental disabilities and challenges. Obstetric doctors and nurses, as well as hospitals where babies are born, have duties to monitor fetal health and maternal health throughout the pregnancy. Complicated births are not uncommon. Doctors and hospitals should understand the risks and be prepared to deal with them in a way that avoids unnecessary injuries to mother or child. When doctors and hospitals fail in their duties to provide appropriate care, they need to be held accountable to the infants and families they have harmed. The Carroll Law Firm helps Atlanta birth injury victims recover compensation and obtain justice for their injuries, ensuring they have the proper medical care going forward to deal with the harm done to them by medical errors.
Proper monitoring of fetus and mother can prevent many severe birth injuries from occurring
The health of the mother throughout pregnancy is vital to delivering a healthy baby. Mothers should be monitored during pregnancy for appropriate weight gain and the warning signs of gestational diabetes or acidic blood. The fetus should also be monitored through ultrasounds and other appropriate diagnostics to ensure it is developing appropriately.
What are signs that a birth may be complicated?
Doctors and nurses may see many signs that alert them to the possibility of a complicated birth. Some of these signs may appear earlier during the pregnancy, while others arise during labor or delivery. Some of these signs are:
- A long pregnancy
- A large baby
- A long labor
- Use of an epidural
- Induced labor
- Breech position
Doctors and nurses are aware that the presence of any of these signs may indicate a complicated delivery and possible birth injuries if not handled appropriately. Hospitals should be ready with appropriate staff and equipment. Failure to provide necessary support promptly can lead to a tragic birth injury.
What are birth injuries?
A birth injury is any harm to the baby which occurs during the birthing process. Common causes of birth injuries are too much pressure applied to the baby, mishandling the baby during delivery, or a delivery that takes too long and deprives the baby of oxygen or causes other distress. Errors by an anesthesiologist administering an epidural, failure to use a vacuum extractor correctly, and failing to order genetic counseling can also lead to birth injuries. Some injuries can be treated at the hospital, while others require a lifetime of additional care or result in lifelong physical or mental deficits. Contact our experienced Atlanta birth injury attorneys for more information or assistance. Some of the most common birth injuries are:
Cerebral palsy – CP is brain damage that occurs when the baby is deprived of oxygen for too long during labor or delivery. CP affects motor function ability and control and may additionally result in cognitive deficiencies.
Erb’s palsy – Also known as brachial plexus injury, shoulder dystocia or Klumpke’s palsy, Erb’s palsy can result from applying too much pressure on the baby’s body during delivery, or if the baby’s body is pressed up against the mother’s pubic bone. In Erb’s palsy, the child’s hands and arms are permanently paralyzed due to stretching or tearing of peripheral nerves in the shoulders.
HIE – Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy is another form of oxygen deprivation brain damage which can occur if the umbilical cord is wound around the baby’s neck, or if the obstetrician waits too long to order a c-section.
Clavicle fracture – The child’s collarbone can break if the baby is mishandled during birth.
Facial paralysis – If forceps are misused, they can put too much pressure on the seventh cranial nerve, which can cause permanent facial paralysis.
Lacerations – The baby can be severely wounded if a c-section is performed negligently.
Peritonitis/pneumonitis – Unreasonably long or stressful delivery can lead to abdominal or respiratory infections which can be potentially life-threatening.
Call the Carroll Law Firm for Justice After an Atlanta Birth Injury Malpractice
If your child suffered an injury during birth, your medical costs may become astronomical over the years, and your child may be saddled with lifelong challenges that could have been prevented had doctors and nurses used appropriate care and attention when doing their jobs. For help getting justice and compensation for your family after a birth injury in an Atlanta hospital, call the Carroll Law Firm at 404-816-4555 for a no-cost, confidential consultation.
