Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nationwide
The welcoming of a new baby should be a joyous occasion. But a medical mistake prior to labor, during delivery or in the immediate aftermath of childbirth can have a tragic, long-lasting impact on an infant and family.
Although tens of thousands of babies are delivered daily without complications, labor and childbirth can be accompanied by unpredictable events that require split-second decisions and focused attention. If your infant sustained injuries or suffered wrongful death as a result of medical negligence, the Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys at Golomb & Honik may be able to help you hold the appropriate healthcare providers accountable and recover the financial compensation you need and deserve.
Common Birth Injuries
It is important to distinguish birth injuries from birth defects. Birth defects are conditions that arise while an infant develops during pregnancy, and are often caused by genetic factors. Birth injuries are the result of a medical professional’s negligence and may occur between pre-delivery and post-childbirth care.
The medical malpractice attorneys at Golomb & Honik have successfully represented parents whose children have experienced birth injuries including:
Other recognized types of birth injuries include:
- Brain injury
- Erb’s palsy
- Meconium aspiration
- Spinal cord damage
Among the most serious, and sadly most frequent, birth injuries are those that restrict oxygen flow to the brain. Lack of oxygen, or hypoxia, during delivery contributes to a number of devastating, long-term conditions, including various brain injuries and cerebral palsy.
Causes of Birth Injuries
For parents whose child has suffered harm due to medical negligence, there is perhaps no justifiable reason for a birth injury. However, there are a number of common circumstances and mistakes that contribute to birth injuries:
- Failure to perform a timely Caesarean section
- Failure to provide adequate prenatal care
- Failure to recognize signs of fetal distress
- Failure to respond to hypoxia
- Misuse of forceps or other medical instruments
- Use of improper delivery techniques
As with any medical malpractice case, there are often brief statutes of limitation that establish deadlines for filing birth injury claims. It is advisable to consult with a medical malpractice attorney who has specific experience in handling birth injury cases as soon as possible after discovering the injury.
If your child sustained an injury during the childbirth process that you believe was caused by medical negligence, please contact the Philadelphia birth injury attorneys at Golomb & Honik for your no-cost case evaluation. We represent clients from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and across the United States.
