Philadelphia Birth Injury Lawyer 
The birth of a child is supposed to be a celebrated and magical time of a parent’s life. Unfortunately, this joyful time can quickly shift when a tragic and unnecessary injury occurs at birth. While some birth injuries may cause minor injury, many birth injuries due to negligence or malpractice result in permanent and significant physical or cognitive deficit. In addition to injury to the baby, injuries at birth can also affect the mother. A Philadelphia birth injury lawyer will advocate for your family when a birth injury occurs, and fight for fair compensation for these injuries.
Types of Birth Injuries for Infants
A Philadelphia birth injury lawyer can assist your family with medical malpractice or negligence that results in birth injuries such as:
Spinal cord injury – these injuries are often significant and can result in life-long impairments
Perinatal Asphyxia – this injury is caused when the infant does not receive enough oxygen during labor and can result in irreversible neurological impairment and loss of cognitive function.
Facial Paralysis – damage to the infant’s facial nerve, resulting in paralysis. While sometimes this can heal on its own, permanent damage can also occur
Brachial Plexus Injuries – injury to the bundle of nerves that run from the upper spine and down through the neck, shoulder, arm, and hand. While mild or temporary impairment may occur, approximately 10% of these injuries result in permanent disability.
Maternal Birth Injuries
Birth injuries can also affect the physical and emotional health of the mother. A birth injury lawyer can help if you have sustained a maternal birth injury such as:
Physical Birth Injuries – Undiagnosed or improperly managed conditions during pregnancy – such as preeclampsia, diabetes, or infection – can result in trauma to the mother during the delivery process. These unnecessary traumas may result in excessive hemorrhaging, organ failure, a total hysterectomy, or even maternal death.
Mental Injuries – Mothers who endure birth traumas are more likely to experience depression or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These mental injuries can interfere with bonding with the infant or the mother’s ability to care for the infant. Medication and therapy are sometimes needed to assist the mother through an unnecessary birth trauma.
How a Philadelphia Birth Injury Lawyer Can Help
Frequently, common birth injuries can be prevented with qualified and conscientious medical care. A birth injury lawyer can help your family identify whether an infant birth injury may be due to malpractice or negligence. Typically, a birth injury lawyer will request medical records to review. Additionally he will meet with you and any witnesses that were in the delivery room when the injury occurred. Therefore, it’s recommended that as soon as possible after a birth injury occurs, that you or a representative write down the recollection of events leading up to the birth injury. If it appears that there might be evidence of malpractice, the medical staff may also be deposed to provide statements. A birth injury lawyer may consult an expert witness with extensive experience in obstetrics to review the medical information and provide an opinion or testimony regarding the appropriateness of care provided.
Taking the First Step
By contacting a birth injury lawyer, you can take the first step in pursuing fair compensation for the pain and devastation caused by an unnecessary birth injury. The Wieand Law Firm, LLC, will take the time to listen and review your unique situation and provide the skilled advice that you need to take action.
To speak with a Philadelphia birth injury lawyer at the Wieand Law Firm, LLC, call us today at 215-666-0402 for a free, no obligation consultation.
Expectant mothers and fathers arrive at the delivery room filled with anticipatory joy. Unfortunately, all too quickly those feelings of delight can turn to worry, fear, and shock when difficulties during the delivery process are not anticipated or managed competently. If you have been in this situation, you need the Philadelphia birth injury lawyer in your corner.
Are birth injuries preventable?
You should consult the Philadelphia birth injury lawyer to determine whether your birth injury was preventable. Birth injuries can occur due to a variety of factors. However, failure in communication and practice protocols among the health care professionals in the delivery room are the most commonly cited root cause of preventable birth injuries. The Premier Perinatal Safety Initiative (PPSI), points out several common failure points:
Missed signs of fetal distress – fetal distress occurs when the fetus is not receiving adequate oxygen or nutrients. Frequently this is initially noted by the mother recognizing a decrease in movements of the fetus. When a physician chooses not to take these concerns seriously, or fails to order the appropriate diagnostic exams, the fetus may become compromised. You should consult with the Philadelphia birth injury lawyer if your physician overlooked signs of fetal distress that resulted in birth injury.
Delayed C-sections – When a mother undergoes a difficult labor, there is risk of the fetus becoming lodged in the birth canal. Delaying C-sections during these types of difficult birthing situations may result in birth hypoxia or anoxia. This occurs when the baby does not have adequate amounts of oxygen before, during, or after labor. This can result in brain damage to the infant or wrongful infant death.
Misuse of labor-inducing drugs – Sometimes labor inducing drugs, such as the high-risk medication Pitocin, are used for the practitioner convenience rather than for medical necessity. If Pitocin is administered in an improper dose, or if the drug causes contractions to be too lengthy, too robust, or too numerous, the fetus may not be able to receive enough oxygen and cause many medical complications. The Philadelphia birth injury lawyer points out that administration of Pitocin should only be considered medically necessary when risk to the life of the fetus or mother is present. Misuse of this medication can have a number of significant complications such as significant changes in the fetus’ heart rate or blood pressure, cerebral palsy, and neonatal seizures.
Unnecessary forceps or vacuum use –use of a specially designed instrument to help with delivery, such as forceps or vacuum, during the last part of labor is often referred to as an assisted vaginal delivery, or operative vaginal delivery. Approximately 5 percent of all deliveries in the United States use these types of devices to extract the fetus down the birth canal. Incorrect positioning of the cup or forceps on the fetal head may result in fetal scalp lacerations, bleeding inside the baby’s brain, fetal skull fractures, seizures, or facial nerve palsies.
Filing a Birth Injury Claim
Hospitals have far-reaching legal resources to help minimize awards to the victims of birth injuries. It’s important that you have the support of the Philadelphia birth injury lawyer to seek fair compensation for the physical injuries caused by preventable birth injuries. The Wieand Law Firm, LLC will take the time to listen to your individual situation and provide that skilled advice you need to take action again nursing home abuse.
To speak with a birth injury attorney at the Wieand Law Firm, LLC call us today at 215-666-7777 to receive a free, no obligation consultation.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice.
