Medical costs and other costs associated with a birth injury can be very expensive. Families that are affected often seek compensation through a birth injury claim to help offset the costs of caring for a child that has been hurt prior to delivery or during the birthing process.
There is a difference between birth injuries that occur during pregnancy, sometimes due to medicine or doctor errors, and those that occur during the actual delivery process. Most severe birth injuries occur during the birth process when the child is otherwise healthy.
The most common birth injuries are caused by a miscalculation of size or delivery date; lack of oxygen involving the umbilical cord; a failure to detect fetal distress; improper use of birth tools; shoulder dystocia; failure to perform a timely C-section; and a failure to diagnose and treat fetal infections.
Common preventable birth injuries can include brain injury such as cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injuries including erbs palsy, untreated jaundice, plasticity, paralysis, infections, fractures, bleeding, stillbirths and more.
When an infant is injured at the hands of a negligent medical care provider, family members are left with physical, emotional and financial hardships as they face an uncertain future caring for their child. Birth injury compensation claims allow families to recover expenses associated with caring for a baby with a birth injury and hold health care providers accountable for their actions. If your family has suffered a birth or maternal injury contact the Des Moines medical malpractice Law Offices of Marc A. Humphrey for assistance at 515-331-3510.