When the time comes to start a family, you will be excited and worried all at once. Why? Pregnancy can be stressful to some, especially if you have had difficult pregnancies in the past. Childbirth can also be a scary thought. It’s not out of the realm of possibility for your child to suffer a birth injury due to the negligence of a nurse or doctor.
How can a birth injury be considered medical malpractice? For starters, most children injured before, during or after birth are injured because of the actions or inaction of the medical staff caring for the mother and child. Medical malpractice in childbirth can be caused by any of the following:
- Failure to recognize warning signs of diabetes or blood pressure issues in the mother or the baby
- Failure to diagnose the mother with serious medical conditions
- Failure to treat the mother for identified medical conditions
- Failure to monitor the heart rate of the baby
- Improper use of delivery instruments
- Failure to perform a C-section in a timely manner
- Failure to provide the newborn baby with oxygen when it is needed
- Administering the incorrect medications to the mother before or during childbirth
Children who suffer birth injuries are entitled to receive compensation to help pay for their care. This could be temporary care, if the injuries were not that severe, or lifelong care. It all depends on the amount of time the baby was without oxygen.
Medical malpractice is a serious issue that affects thousands of people every year in Georgia and it includes birth injuries. Make sure you document everything that went wrong before, during and after childbirth to help make your claim easier to prove.