BIRTH INJURY

Maternal and fetal monitoring

It is important that both the mother’s and the fetus’ health be monitored closely during pregnancy to avoid birth trauma. This is especially true once the mother enters labor, and extends until the point of delivery. Proper monitoring during pregnancy can disclose serious problems, including pre-eclampsia that can lead to toxemia and seizures, or the need for a cesarean section delivery while they are treatable.

A common problem during pregnancy is the development of gestational diabetes, which can cause a fetus to grow excessively large if left unchecked. Excessively large fetuses can lead to serious birth injuries because the baby is too large to pass through the birth canal. By proper medical monitoring and close observation during labor, an OB-GYN can determine if a woman’s delivery is proceeding normally or if a C-section should be performed to avoid potential injury to the baby. Often, serious birth injuries could have been avoided had the mother’s pregnancy and labor been properly monitored and a cesarean section performed in a timely manner.

Injury during delivery and in the neo-natal period

During an instrumental delivery a baby may suffer a forceps injury, a shoulder dystocia injury leading to Erb’s palsy/permanent nerve damage, or a fracture resulting from improper manipulation during a breech delivery. A prolonged delivery, failure to identify an umbilical cord strangulation leading to lack of oxygen, and cerebral palsy, or failure to identify and treat respiratory distress leading to permanent brain damage may mean that a family has to provide life care for a child with disabilities. A mother may suffer uterine rupture or another serious injury.

Identifying obstetric malpractice

Our attorneys are skilled in examining medical records from a pregnancy and delivery to identify medical errors that caused birth injuries. When we screen your case the lawyers will determine if proper procedures were followed during pregnancy and during labor. If the initial screening shows evidence of negligence, a top expert in the field is retained to confirm. If improper medical monitoring and treatment caused an injury to the baby and/or its mother, then both the fetus and/or family have a medical malpractice claim. Birth injuries to a fetus are often serious and permanent, entitling the baby and parents to recover substantial sums if the injury was caused by a medical mistake.

Strict time limits on birth injury claims

In Louisiana, you have one year from the date of birth of your child to bring a claim for damages if your child was injured during pregnancy and/or delivery. Call 337-439-2450 (Toll Free: 866-281-4774) or e-mail our Calcasieu Parish office as soon as possible if you would like to have our lawyers review your birth injury claim.

From our Lake Charles offices we serve clients throughout Southwest Louisiana, including those in Cameron, De Ridder, and Lafayette. We will respond quickly to your inquiry, and the interview will be confidential.

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