Atlanta Infant Wrongful Death Attorney
Most women who become pregnant hope for a healthy pregnancy. Unfortunately, complications arise more often than many people want to think, and they require medical care. Every woman, from those who have had multiple pregnancies, to first-time mothers can be at risk of suffering injuries to them or their unborn children. Doctors play a very important role when caring for a pregnant mother and they must provide the highest standard of care possible. When they do not, our Atlanta infant wrongful death attorney can help.
Medical Misdiagnosis Can Cause Infant Wrongful Death
Medical malpractice often involves medical misdiagnosis, largely because every patient is unique and there are many different treatment options. When a woman is pregnant, a misdiagnosis can result in the woman making uninformed decisions. This can sometimes cause a permanent termination of the pregnancy. For example, if a doctor incorrectly tells a woman that her baby suffers from down syndrome, the parents may terminate the pregnancy. This is a type of medical malpractice that can result in a lawsuit for compensation.
Claims Involving the Death of a Fetus
When medical negligence results in the death of a fetus, people often wonder if they have a valid legal claim. Some states allow claims to be brought if the unborn fetus was viable, or if it could have survived out of the womb during the stage of pregnancy when it was lost. Other states allow claims for the death of a fetus once the heartbeat can be detected.
Georgia law is somewhat more generous than this. In Georgia, people can file a claim for the death of a fetus caused by negligent or intentional acts when the baby has started quickening. Quickening occurs when the mother can feel the child moving in the womb. This can happen as early as ten weeks.
Medical Negligence Can Result in Neonatal Death
Sometimes, infants may survive pregnancy but suffer a neonatal death once they are born. Tragically, approximately four out of every 1,000 births result in neonatal death every year. These deaths are often used by low birth weights, birth defects, and premature births. Birth injuries are not usually fatal but when they are, it may be a case of wrongful death.
The two types of birth injuries that are most commonly considered wrongful death are asphyxia and traumatic injuries. Asphyxia occurs when the brain does not receive enough oxygen. This can occur when there are problems with the umbilical cord or placenta, or when the mother has an infection.
Traumatic injuries that result in infant wrongful death are often caused by negligence. A doctor may not recognize the need for a C-section in a timely manner, or they may not use birthing tools properly. Any time a medical professional’s negligence results in infant death, it is important to speak to an attorney.
Our Infant Wrongful Death Lawyer in Atlanta Can Help Your Family
Getting ready to welcome a new member of the family should be one of the most joyous times of your life. When you lose the infant, it suddenly becomes one of the most tragic. At Carroll Law Firm, LLC, our Atlanta infant wrongful death lawyer knows the devastation these losses cause, and wants to help your family make things right. Call us now at 404-816-4555 or contact us online to schedule a complimentary consultation and to learn more about how to obtain the compensation you deserve.