Most pregnant women want to have healthy children even if they have unplanned pregnancies or want to place their babies for adoption. The thought of their babies getting harmed due to medical errors is probably frightening for most. Unfortunately, several things can go wrong during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. These things can result in injuries the pregnant women or their babies. Some injuries may heal, but others may cause death, disfigurements, or disabilities. These injuries and deaths may be compensable if medical malpractice or medical errors are contributing factors.
The following points will give you a brief understanding of this troubling and complex type of personal injury.
1. Risks
One of the alarming things about this type of personal injury is that pregnancy can run its course without any complications and the expectations of a live healthy baby being born. It is not something that has to be due to a high-risk pregnancy. This means that all pregnant women need to be aware of things that could go wrong. There are circumstances that doctors may observe during pregnancies that should prompt them to prepare for potential things that could go wrong. For example, plans to implement an emergency C-section might need to be put in birth plans if it is noted that a baby is excessively large and complications with a vaginal delivery might arise.
2. Injury Classifications
Injuries during birth can happen to the mother or the baby. Although many individuals think that birth injuries pertain to the newborn, some mothers have died during or shortly after giving birth. Issues such as excessive blood loss and shock can create serious issues. There might also be oxygen issues that can affect the mother or the baby. The brain has to have good oxygen levels to prevent brain damage. Lack of oxygen for an otherwise healthy baby can cause severe mobility issues too. One thing that mothers need to know is that sometimes brain damage from infants not getting adequate oxygen during delivery may not be immediately obvious. These babies might have slower development than their peers due to birth injury.
3. Potential Bodily Damage
Vaginal births may require the use of instruments to aid the baby through the birth canal if the mother has difficulties. Instruments such as forceps can cause broken bones or damage to the nerves in newborn babies. The injuries may be minor and heal, but they can also cause disabilities or scarring. The sensitive spinal cord of babies may also be compromised when using instruments to assist with labor. Gross negligence resulting in spinal injury might include a doctor allowing a vaginal delivery for a baby who an ultrasound has seen spinal abnormalities for.
A personal injury lawyer is a good resource to use to understand more about birth injuries and actions that can be taken. Individuals should be leery of accepting settlement offers for birth injuries without getting legal advice.
It isn't always easy to know how to move forward after something happens like a car accident, but the right people can guide you through the process. From talking with you about how you are feeling to helping you to file the appropriate paperwork, accident and personal injury attorneys make it easy to improve your life. If you are struggling after a car incident, don't feel like you are alone. Reach out to professionals to make sense of your financial situation and your vehicle repair. By making the right changes today, you can improve your entire future for the better.