Perhaps one of the most devastating things a parent can experience is seeing their baby suffer in the hospital. When injuries happen immediately after birth, parents experience unimaginable stress during what should be an exciting, joyful time. Although some injuries are beyond anyone’s control, others occur because of a medical professional’s carelessness or negligence.
If your baby’s birth injury was due to a doctor’s misconduct, the skilled birth injury attorneys at Friedman Schuman Layser are here to help. We will give you the experienced legal assistance you need so you can get compensation for your baby’s injuries and the legal justice you deserve. Contact us today to schedule your consultation and learn more about the types of neonatal injuries in Fort Washington.
What is a Neonatal Injury?
A neonatal, or birth injury, is a specific name for an injury suffered during the birth process. It differs from congenital injuries or defects, which are present in the infant before birth. Neonatal injuries are caused by trauma during the delivery or shortly afterward. The most common types of neonatal injuries our Fort Washington attorneys handle include:
- Collarbone fractures, or shoulder dystocia
- Nerve damage, or Erb’s palsy
- Soft tissue damage and bruising
- Intracranial hemorrhage
- Hypoxia
Not all injuries are due to medical malpractice. Some injuries are the result of sudden emergencies during delivery, preexisting health conditions of the mother or infant, and other medical causes. However, some birth injuries are avoidable or due to mishandling during the delivery.
Determining When a Neonatal Injury Is Malpractice
How can a parent know if their baby’s injury was due to malpractice? An experienced Fort Washington neonatal injury lawyer can review your child’s birth records and your medical records to evaluate the type of injury suffered. These documents can help pinpoint whether certain actions were taken to prevent injury or if they were done correctly.
Doctors and other medical personnel are held to a higher standard of conduct in negligence cases. This means that their care is compared to that of another doctor of equal experience and training. Your case will compare what was done during your child’s birth to what another doctor would have done faced with the same set of circumstances.
Common considerations in birth injury cases include whether the doctor misread or misinterpreted the fetal monitor, should have recommended surgical intervention, such as a c-section, or misused forceps or vacuum extractors during the delivery. In some cases, the malpractice may have occurred earlier, such as failing to monitor a high-risk pregnancy for signs of fetal distress, or to discuss emergency c-sections with the parents before the delivery.
A seasoned attorney can review all these possible signs of malpractice and help you gather the information you need to establish your claim. Pennsylvania requires claimants to file a certificate of merit within 60 days of making a claim, and the attorneys at Friedman Schuman Layser can ensure you meet all your legal deadlines.
Learn More About the Types of Birth Injuries with a Fort Washington Lawyer
Dealing with attorneys and insurance companies in the aftermath of an injury is overwhelming enough, but it becomes even more so when the victim is your own baby. Let our attorneys help you by taking over the difficult legal work and gathering the evidence and documents your case needs to prove your case. When you come to us, we can build a claim that establishes who is liable and helps you and your baby get the compensation and justice you deserve. Contact us today for a consultation to review the types of neonatal injuries in Fort Washington.