Although no medical practitioner would intentionally cause harm to a mother or baby, mistakes can happen. If the proper medical standards of care are not followed, injuries can occur, and they can happen during any stage of pregnancy, from your first sonogram through to post-delivery. Severe injuries are often the result of some form of medical malpractice, including inexperience, a lack of attention or another form of negligence.
If you or your baby suffered preventable injuries during childbirth, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, medical bills, and other expenses. The Cincinnati birth injury lawyers at O'Connor, Acciani & Levy have the resources and experience to determine if your baby's injuries could have been prevented. Let our experienced accident attorneys help you get the justice you deserve.
Causes Of Birth Defects
A birth injury is trauma caused to a baby during the birthing process. Although injuries to a baby or mother can occur at any stage of pregnancy, the majority of birth injuries are the result of errors that happen during the labor and delivery process. They can be the result of a mistake or a failure to act on the part of obstetricians, nurses, interns or residents.
Some of the most common causes of delivery room errors include:
- Failure to detect, monitor and treat infections
- Delayed C-section or failure to order a C-section
- Miscalculated contractions
- Improper extraction
- Improper use of medical instruments
- Prolapsed umbilical cord
- Improper technique
- Failure to monitor or properly manage signs of fetal distress
- Prescription errors
- Failure to diagnose a birth defect or complication in a timely manner
- Misdiagnosis
If you are unsure if a birth injury was a result of medical negligence from an OBGYN or other doctor, our Cincinnati lawyers will thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding your child’s injuries in order to determine exactly what happened and how we can recover the maximum amount of compensation they deserve.
Types Of Injuries During Childbirth
Whether a baby's trauma was caused by insufficient prenatal testing or mistakes made in the delivery room, the result can be permanent and costly not only financially, but physically and emotionally as well. A birth injury can affect a fetus in many ways and cause lifelong disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, brachial plexus, and other forms of developmental delay.
Some of the leading types of birth injuries our lawyers have experience with include:
- Cephalohematoma
- Cerebral Palsy
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Developmental Delay
- Erb's Palsy
- Folic Acid Disorder
- Holoprosencephaly
- Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)
- Klumpke's Palsy
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in a Newborn (PPHN)
- Shoulder Dystocia
- Spina Bifida
- Brachial Plexus
- Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
Brain damage as a result of a baby being deprived of oxygen or having reduced blood flow are also common types of birth injuries. In the most severe cases, an error in the delivery room can cause the wrongful death of the mother or baby. In these cases, our wrongful death lawyers can help you seek fair compensation for your loss.
Our skilled Cincinnati birth injury attorneys are experienced in handling all types of injury cases and can help ensure you receive the maximum amount of compensation you deserve. We understand that many birth injuries result in life-long disabilities or medical care, and we take that into consideration when determining the amount of compensation you are entitled.
How a Cincinnati Birth Injury Attorney Could Help
At O'Connor, Acciani & Levy, our Cincinnati birth injury lawyers understand the physical, emotional and financial consequences of a devastating birth injury. As experienced trial lawyers and skilled negotiators, we have the knowledge and resources required to get you the compensation you deserve.
We will thoroughly investigate your claim and gather the necessary evidence to demonstrate if a medical professional’s negligence led to you or your baby’s injuries. If your injuries were preventable, we can help you hold the doctor and healthcare facility responsible for their errors.
Our attorneys proudly offer free, no obligation consultations and we do not get paid unless your case is successful and you recover a favorable verdict or settlement. Contact us today to learn more about your legal options and how we can help you get the justice you deserve.
