Birth Injury Lawyer
Delivering a baby is a stressful experience even under the best of circumstances. So when something goes wrong and the child is injured during a vaginal birth or Cesarean section, parents are understandably devastated. And while a parent’s initial reaction may be to blame themselves, in many cases the facts show that the doctor or health care provider’s negligence was the real cause of the child’s injury.
If your child has been harmed due to an apparent act of medical malpractice, it is crucial that you seek timely legal advice from a qualified lawyer. Attorney Keith B. French is an experienced litigator who has represented many Texas residents in pursuing personal injury claims, such as those arising from medical negligence. He understands that children who sustain birth injuries often require a lifetime of specialized medical care, which is why he will make every effort to obtain compensation from the people who are responsible for this situation.
Birth Injuries Can Occur Even Before Birth
Medical malpractice can occur well before a child is actually born. If a doctor fails to properly diagnose a potential complication in a pregnant mother, that can lead to problems for the child during or after birth. In other cases, the mother’s pregnancy proceeds normally but something goes wrong during the actual delivery.
Some common examples of birth injuries arising from medical malpractice include:
- Placental abruption – If the placenta separates from the uterus before the mother gives birth, that can lead to a premature birth and possible brain damage to the baby, not to mention internal bleeding and other complications for the mother.
- Preeclampsia – This refers to a condition that causes high blood pressure in pregnant women. If not properly diagnosed or treated, preeclampsia can lead to the aforementioned placental abruption, as well as possible stroke or brain injury in the baby.
- Cerebral palsy – A baby can be born with a number of movement disorders classified as cerebral palsy if there are mistakes made during the delivery process, including a failure to perform an emergency C-section.
- Nerve damage – If the baby is not properly rotated or aggressively pulled or stretched during delivery, the result can be permanent damage to nerves–leading to paralysis–and even spinal cord damage.
- Fractures – It is not uncommon for a doctor to fracture a baby’s clavicle or limbs during a delivery, especially in “breech” births and infants who are considered large in size.
Contact Keith B. French Law Today
You might assume that a doctor or hospital will admit responsibility for a birth injury. But the reality is quite different. Healthcare providers (and their malpractice insurers) will often fight tooth-and-nail to deny liability. One reason for this approach is that damages in birth injury cases are often quite substantial, as they need to compensate the child and parent for a lifetime of medical care and other losses.
So if your baby has been harmed before or during delivery and you need legal advice on what steps to take next from an experienced Pearland birth injury lawyer, contact Keith B. French Law, PLLC, today to schedule a free consultation.
