The birth of a new child should be a joyful time for the new parents, their family and friends, and even the medical professionals who help make sure that birth goes as smoothly and as safely as possible. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon, even in the modern day, for newborn babies to get seriously injured from trauma they suffer while being born—and sometimes, the medical professionals who were supposed to keep those babies safe are the ones at fault for harming them through negligent care.
If you or your child suffered an injury in childbirth that you believe was the fault of one or more doctors caring for you before, during, or after labor, contacting a Blue Bell birth injury lawyer should be among your top priorities. You may have limited time to understand and take full advantage of your right to seek civil recovery. A respected malpractice attorney’s support can be essential to getting the best possible resolution from this uniquely difficult type of claim.
Common Grounds for Birth Injury Lawsuits
As is the case with other types of medical malpractice claims, you can only sue over a birth injury if you can prove the injury was caused mainly and directly by your doctor violating the standard of care they owed you. As your Blue Bell birth injury attorney can further explain, this means you need to prove your doctor acted in a way that no other equally qualified doctor would’ve acted under the circumstances and that your baby’s injury likely wouldn’t have happened at all were it not for that specific irresponsible act.
Examples of things that could possibly meet these requirements if they lead to a baby suffering preventable trauma include:
- Not ordering a C-section at the right time or failing to perform a C-section correctly
- Misusing tools like forceps or vacuum extractors during a difficult birth
- Not closely monitoring the vital signs of both the mother and her baby
- Not accounting for known pregnancy complications during labor
- Failing to quickly diagnose and treat a dangerous medical condition like jaundice or a hematoma
It’s also possible in many situations to sue over injuries suffered by a pregnant mother before, during, or after giving birth because of deficient medical care.
Estimating the Value of Future Birth Injury Losses
All the money in the world can’t make up for the effects that a permanent and disabling injury at birth will have on the infant’s life as a whole. It’s still important during this sort of claim to account for and demand money in advance for losses that can be expected to happen years and even decades into the future, such as:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental trauma and distress
- Loss of life’s pleasures
- Future medical bills
- Lost working and earning potential
- Disability-related costs for things like in-home care, wheelchairs, and home or vehicle modifications
Your birth injury lawyer in Blue Bell can help with determining exactly how much money you should demand for each of your unique losses, as well as with building and filing a strong civil claim within the strictly enforced filing deadlines set by Pennsylvania law.
Contact a Blue Bell Birth Injury Attorney for Help
No child deserves to get hurt through an adult’s misconduct under any circumstances, and certainly not through the negligence of a doctor who was supposed to keep them healthy and safe during birth. If your family has been harmed in this way, you have important legal options at your disposal that our attorneys can help you take full advantage of.
A Blue Bell birth injury lawyer can give you answers to important questions and guidance about the next steps you should take during a private initial meeting. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to discuss your options.
