Birth injuries can result from medical malpractice

The miracle of child birth can be one of the most exciting things to occur in a person’s lifetime. The moment a child enters the world can bring tears to the toughest of people. For many, child birth usually goes pretty smoothly. However, what happens if something in the birth process went wrong? Every parent’s worst fear is their newborn sustaining a birth injury.

Many people across New Haven live with birth injuries, whether they were preventable or not. There are numerous things that can go wrong during child birth and that may cause permanent damage. Cerebral Palsy is one of several possible birth injuries.

One cause is believed to be a lack of oxygen to the child’s brain either during, before or soon after child birth. In addition, it is a condition that has a wide range of symptoms including muscle weakness, abnormal movements and speech problems. In some instances it can cause muscle paralysis.

If the medical staff is negligent in the child birth process, the parent may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. For instance, a family claimed that a doctor’s decision not to perform a caesarean caused their newborn to develop cerebral palsy. They believed the newborn did not get enough oxygen while she was still in the womb. The family sued the doctor for medical malpractice and the case is currently ongoing. In the state of Connecticut, the plaintiff must show that there was a deviation from the accepted standard of care, which then resulted in injury.

When it comes to child birth in New Haven, every step should be taken by the medical team to ensure a safe and healthy delivery. If a parent believes that the medical staff deviated from the accepted standard of care resulting in injury, then he or she may want to seek legal assistance. Getting the help of an attorney is the first step toward ensuring a proper settlement.

Source: Tribtoday.com, “Judge wants to remain on doctor’s case,” Christopher Bobby, Feb. 26, 2013