“Placental abruption” involves the placenta partly or completely detaching from the wall of a pregnant woman’s uterus before she gives birth to her baby, usually in her third trimester. Since the placenta plays a vital role in transferring oxygen and nutrients from the mother’s body to her baby’s body via the umbilical cord, a premature abruption like this can cause serious developmental delays and even permanent brain damage to the baby, as well as life-threatening hemorrhages and infections for the mother.
If you did not receive sufficient treatment for a placental abruption and suffered preventable harm as a result, you may have grounds for a civil claim worth discussing with a Bridgeport placental abruption lawyer. Our compassionate birth injury attorneys at Berkowitz and Hanna LLC can help collect relevant evidence, ensure your case complies with all rules and restrictions established by Connecticut law, and work tirelessly to get you paid fairly for the losses your family has sustained.
While placental abruption is almost always a very serious and dangerous condition, it is also not one that doctors can often do much to prevent. Even if a pregnant woman receives the best possible, various risk factors—from a history of high blood pressure to ill-timed infections to smoking or cocaine use during pregnancy—can contribute to causing this problem with or without professional medical intervention, particularly in women over the age of 40.
That said, doctors caring for pregnant women are expected to meet the same “standard of care” that would apply to any other equally qualified physician caring for the same patient under similar or identical circumstances. If an obstetrician or someone else involved in an expecting mother’s care lets a placental abruption in Bridgeport go undiagnosed or provides improper treatment for one through their own recklessness or carelessness, a knowledgeable attorney can pursue civil compensation for the losses that a mother and her baby have suffered through their doctor’s “malpractice.”
One very important thing to know about placental abruption lawsuits—and medical malpractice claims in general—is that civil courts in Connecticut will not just take a patient’s word for it that their doctor was irresponsible in a way no other doctor would have been. Instead, Connecticut General Statutes §52-190a requires people intending to file malpractice claims to go through a “reasonable inquiry” process before filing suit.
As a placental abruption lawyer in Bridgeport can further explain, this process entails contacting at least one qualified medical expert and obtaining a written and signed statement from them affirming that they believe there are valid grounds for a malpractice claim based on the evidence they have reviewed. More specifically, the medical expert(s) must state their good-faith belief that the applicable “standard of care” was breached in a specific way that was the direct and primary cause of the injuries at the heart of the pending claim.
Experiencing any kind of complication during pregnancy can be intensely stressful on both physical and psychological levels. Placental abruptions, though, require immediate intervention to ensure your safety as well as your baby’s, and if your doctor(s) failed to provide the care you deserved, they may be civilly liable for any harm you or your child suffered as a result.
Support from a Bridgeport placental abruption lawyer can dramatically improve your chances of getting the best possible outcome from your claim. Call Berkowitz and Hanna LLC today to set up your free initial consultation.
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