When a baby is born with a medical condition or physical complication, parents are left in shock and grief. Naturally, parents want to know whether a medical provider was responsible for the condition. However, not all complications are the result of malpractice.
Birth defects are typically the result of genetics and may not be connected to poor prenatal care or labor/delivery. By contrast, birth injuries in Philadelphia are often connected to medical malpractice by a doctor or another medical professional.
What is a Birth Injury?
A birth injury typically occurs shortly before, during, or immediately after labor and delivery. In many cases, the baby was healthy during pregnancy but suffered harm due to complications in the delivery process.
Birth injuries often arise from issues that could have been prevented with proper monitoring or interventions. These injuries include, but are not limited to, brachial plexus injuries affecting the shoulder or arm, skull fractures, nerve damage, and traumatic brain injuries.
Common causes of birth injuries include:
- Failure to monitor distress
- Delayed response to oxygen deprivation
- Improper use of forceps or vacuum extraction devices
- Failure to perform a timely C-section
- Excessive force during delivery
- Untreated maternal infections or pregnancy complications
These injuries can lead to serious conditions like cerebral palsy, developmental delays, or cognitive impairment, among other things.
What Are Birth Defects?
Birth defects develop during pregnancy. They are structural or genetic complications that occur as the baby forms in the womb. These conditions are typically present at birth but are not necessarily connected to the labor and delivery process. They can cause congenital heart defects, cleft lip or palate, spina bifida, and other genetic disorders.
Birth defects can result from:
- Genetic conditions
- Chromosomal abnormalities
- Maternal illness/infection or high blood pressure during pregnancy
- Exposure to harmful medications, alcohol, or environmental toxins
- Nutritional deficiencies
Most birth defects are not related to medical negligence. However, if a healthcare provider failed to provide proper prenatal care or improperly prescribed dangerous medications, they may share liability for the child’s condition.
What Do I Do If I Suspect My Child Has a Birth Injury?
Determining whether a child’s condition was caused by a birth defect or birth injury requires extensive investigation. If you suspect your child’s condition was caused by a preventable medical error, you should consult an experienced birth injury attorney for help. A skilled attorney will help you evaluate whether you have a medical malpractice claim.
Your Philadelphia med mal attorney will conduct investigations into the labor, delivery, and prenatal care involving the child and mother. They will also consult medical specialists to evaluate whether healthcare providers deviated from the standard of care during the process. Additionally, they will collaborate with financial and life-care planning experts to assess your family and child’s damages, which could include the long-term costs of treatment, therapy, specialized equipment, and lost earning potential.
Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C. can help you understand whether your child’s birth condition was caused by malpractice. Call us today to schedule a confidential consultation to learn more about your rights and legal options.