Most expectant parents enter the delivery room with high hopes and excitement. We put our faith in the healthcare system and hope that everything will go smoothly. Unfortunately, mistakes occur in birthing centers and delivery rooms every year. Birth injuries can leave children and their families suffering for years to come.
While no monetary amount can make up for the physical and emotional pain caused by a medical error, pursuing a damages award with the help of a knowledgeable attorney could help ease the financial burden associated with these situations. A Stamford birth injury lawyer could help you hold the negligent party accountable and pursue fair compensation on your behalf.
Birth injuries can occur either during pregnancy or during labor and delivery. Unfortunately, not every family with a child who suffers a birth injury can recover damages in a malpractice suit. Although modern medicine allows obstetricians to discover a great deal of information about an unborn child’s health while that child is still in the womb, not every birth defect is detectable before birth. Some babies are unexpectedly born with injuries that even the best doctors could have anticipated or corrected.
However, if a baby’s birth injury occurs because a healthcare provider made an unreasonable mistake, that baby’s family could pursue legal action. State law requires obstetricians, nurse midwives, nurses, and other medical practitioners to act in accordance with the reasonable level of care expected of other healthcare practitioners who have similar education, training, backgrounds, and experience. A skilled Stamford attorney could help a family determine whether they have a viable birth injury case.
While all birth injuries cannot be avoided, trained and experienced obstetricians and other labor and delivery personnel often look for indicators of complications. Sometimes, quick thinking and action can avert a potential birth injury.
Problems can occur when babies do not receive sufficient oxygen during delivery or when obstetricians wait too long to order c-sections. Obstetricians also could accidentally harm babies during the active delivery process by misusing forceps or vacuums.
Birth injuries can also occur when a pregnant mother’s obstetrician does not order the correct prenatal tests or fails to make a timely diagnosis of a dangerous pregnancy condition, such as an infection, placenta previa, or toxemia. An experienced local attorney could meet with medical experts and review all relevant medical records to gather information for a birth injury case.
If a family suspects that their baby might have suffered an ill effect due to a healthcare provider’s mistake, it is critical to reach out for legal assistance as soon as possible. In Stamford, families generally have only two years to file a legal claim. If the harm is discovered after those two years, that deadline can only be extended to a maximum of three years, so it is crucial to promptly discuss a potential legal claim with an attorney. A skilled lawyer can ensure that evidence is gathered and relevant paperwork filed within the state’s required timeline for a birth injury claim.
Children who suffer birth injuries can experience lifelong cognitive and physical delays. A successful resolution of a malpractice claim against the delivering medical personnel could change the outcome of a child’s life. It could give them access to necessary medical treatments and help you pay for the care that they need.
Reach out to a seasoned Stamford birth injury lawyer as soon as possible to learn more about your options. The dedicated team at Berkowitz Hanna has experience handling numerous cases like yours and will fight on your behalf to make sure your family gets the justice you deserve.
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