The term “birth injury” refers to any injury to an infant before, during, or after the delivery process.
Some birth injuries are temporary and may resolve in a few days, but others are permanent and costly. The conditions that lead to birth injuries determine whether the birth injury is temporary or permanent.
Undeniably babies are delicate and improper delivery may cause debilitating injuries. There is no doubt that medical malpractice is the most common reason for birth injuries, affecting the child and the mother for the rest of their lives.
For this reason, a parent whose baby suffered birth injuries must take legal action against family doctors by consulting a birth trauma lawyer because most birth injuries are avoidable.
Here Are Three Prime Reasons For Birth Injuries In Florida
Below are the 3 most common birth injuries in Florida.
1. Improper Or Poor Technique
During the delivery of a newborn baby, the actions of an obstetrical caregiver are of the essence. Poor delivery techniques can leave the baby with lifetime disabilities and even cause death in worst-case scenarios. Undoubtedly, most parents trust the decisions of their healthcare providers, especially during the child delivery stage.
In essence, parents rely on the expertise of medical professionals regardless of standard delivery or complications.
Some of the improper techniques used by medical professionals include the following:
- The wrong use of forceps and vacuum extractors
- Refusing to perform C-section so that the patient does not get shoulder dystocia
- Failure by healthcare professionals to handle maneuvers accurately
- Applying unnecessary force on the part of the baby’s body like the head, neck, and shoulders
- Mismanaging infections
In most cases, midwives and family doctors are to blame for poor delivery techniques. In difficult child delivery situations, they usually seek the assistance of qualified obstetricians, but this is usually only the case for some midwives and family doctors. Even though obstetricians are experts at handling difficult birth situations, they sometimes make mistakes.
Some of the injuries that are caused by improper delivery techniques include the following:
- Cerebral palsy
- Development delays
- Death of the baby
- Brachial plexus injuries
Suppose you or your baby were injured due to improper techniques that family doctors or midwives applied. In that case, it only takes a birth trauma lawyer to review the circumstances under which birth injuries occurred. It is the lawyer’s responsibility to assist you in identifying the midwives or family doctors who need to be brought to justice.
2. Inappropriate Use Of Equipment
As previously mentioned, parents often trust doctors’ hands when they enter the labor room, hoping they will deliver safely. Sometimes, deliveries are more complex than others. For instance, the baby’s head may be trapped inside the birth canal, and pushing is no longer a remedy. For this reason, doctors use birth assistance tools to solve such situations.
Some of these birth assistance tools include the following:
- Ventouses – often used in the delivery of the baby. This tool resembles a vacuum with a small cup attached to the baby’s head
- Forceps- if a ventouse is unreliable, the doctor will use forceps
- Curette- this equipment is often used during gynecological procedures, but doctors use it in the delivery room if a mother has a miscarriage
- Surgical kit – a complete kit usually contains sterilization equipment, necessary drugs, surgical instruments, renewable supplies, and titanium scissors, among others
The doctor may apply tools like forceps and vacuum extractors for complicated deliveries. This is because the baby is in an abnormal position or is too big for the mother’s pelvic bones. Injuries may occur if the doctor fails to use the tools appropriately or exerts too much force when they apply the tools mentioned above.
Below are the types of injuries that result from inappropriate use of equipment:
- Head injuries- scalp swelling and blood pooling between the skulls occur when a family doctor misuses equipment leading to severe brain damage
- Neck and face injuries -when delivery tools are misapplied, the baby can suffer from lacerations and broken bones, among other birth injuries
- Arm and shoulder injuries like clavicle fractures and brachial plexus injuries can occur if forceps and vacuum extractors are used incorrectly
If your child has suffered birth injuries following the inappropriate use of equipment, like forceps and vacuum extractors, consulting a birth trauma lawyer makes perfect sense so that you can discuss a possible malpractice claim.
3. Wrong Or Lack Of Decision By The Physician Or Medical Staff
In most cases, babies are delivered safely. However, there are situations where a baby could suffer injuries when a doctor or any other healthcare professional makes a wrong decision that directly or indirectly leads to physical damage to the baby or mother. Many reasons lead to birth injuries, but it can be devastating when birth injuries occur due to wrong decisions.
For instance, a baby may be deprived of oxygen during birth or stay in the canal too long. The doctor can also misjudge when the mother should undergo a C-section or when an expected delivery proves challenging. All these decisions are considered medical malpractice because, in one way or another, they leave the baby or the mother with long-term complications.
In worst-case scenarios, doing the wrong thing or delaying the right decision often leads to more permanent consequences like nerve damage, mental development issues, and deformities. Treating these conditions is costly and may last for a lifetime.
Because some of these birth injuries are avoidable, as a parent, it would be advisable to take legal action against those involved by consulting a birth trauma lawyer if you or your child suffered as a result of a poor decision or no decision at all by a healthcare provider.
Consult And Work With A Professional Birth Trauma Lawyer
It is devastating to lose or see your child suffer for the rest of their life due to medical malpractice during birth. If you have a child who died or was injured at birth, it is imperative to seek justice by consulting a professional birth trauma lawyer.
When a child suffers a permanent condition due to a birth injury or medical malpractice, you may be entitled to compensation for the costs associated with the care.
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