Child Birth Injury in Louisville, KY

There are few moments in life that compare to holding your child for the first time. When your child is placed in your arms, and you look down into that tiny face, suddenly things come into perspective and the world begins to make sense; maybe for the first time ever.

Nothing can bring this crashing down like discovering your newborn has sustained an injury due to the negligence or medical malpractice of the physicians in the room.  If your child has sustained injuries, you may want to contact and engage the services of an experienced Louisville attorney.

What Causes a Childbirth Injury?

Was a medical professional you trusted negligent and did damage occur as a result? If so, affected parents have a chance of bringing a medical malpractice lawsuit for compensation in Louisville, KY.

During any labor and delivery process, timing and action are two crucial elements. Sometimes an infant suffers a birth injury. It can mean that a medical practitioner either made a poor judgment call or failed to act appropriately. If the Louisville medical provider’s actions go against the standard of care, then it may fit the legal definition of negligence.

To prove birth injury, negligence must have a direct connection to the damage. One of the most unfortunate elements of childbirth injury is not discovering the effects right away. Some injuries are discernible immediately after they happen. However, things that affect the brain may not be evident until developmental milestones are not reached.

In Louisville, along with the rest of the U.S., maternal deaths have risen at an alarming rate. This has become such a problem that the Courier-Journal reports that Stephanie Boyd ran in the New York City Marathon to raise awareness of the issue after she almost lost her life. Because her family insisted on testing, it was discovered that she had a rare liver disorder that would have caused her to bleed out after delivery if it had not been corrected.

Beyond this, there are quite a few scenarios that may cause a child to sustain an injury while being born in Louisville. One of the following examples may apply to your circumstances.

  • Improper Vacuum Usage

Sometimes a mother has difficulties delivering a baby through the birth canal. Louisville medical professionals may intervene and use a vacuum to assist. This machine is a standard instrument that can help suction the baby down and out of the birth canal. The vacuum attaches to the baby’s head or shoulders. Nurses and doctors are responsible for placing it appropriately. However, sometimes the vacuum is not attached where it should be. This error can cause severe injury to the mother and the infant during childbirth.

  • Improper Use of Forceps

There are other options when a mother is having difficulty delivering her child. For example, the baby can be improperly positioned in the womb.

In this case, attending medical professionals may use forceps to help move a baby through the birthing canal. Appropriate use of forceps reduces oxygen deprivation. This tool also reduces the chances of fetal distress that can result in birth injuries.

The medical professionals that are birthing a child must use extreme care. The improper use of forceps can cause severe injuries to the head. Additionally, this device can also cause nerve damage in the neck or the chest.

  • Hypoxia

Hypoxia is a medical condition that occurs when the brain of a baby is not receiving enough oxygen. The most common cause before and during delivery is the umbilical cord becoming tangled around the baby’s neck.

This condition often occurs due to a damaged or infected placenta. Thankfully, most Louisville, Kentucky medical professionals can identify hypoxia well in advance. As a result, they can intercede to eliminate the chances of the infant or the mother facing harm.

However, if the professional medical staff does not take action quickly enough, asphyxiation may occur. This can result in causing a child to develop severe physical or mental disabilities. Accordingly, medical staff may be liable for any damages that happened.

  • Cesarean Section Delay

An emergency C-section may be necessary due to the infant’s fetal distress. This medical event occurs when the heartbeat of the infant drops because of the mother’s blood pressure. In addition, this condition can happen when there is a placental abruption or other breathing difficulties.

In truth, there are several reasons why a doctor may perform a C-section. For example, the baby could be in the wrong position or fail to descend into the birth canal. Another qualifying situation is when the mother has labored without dilation.

In these and other circumstances, the doctor may determine whether this procedure needs to happen. It may be the only way to safely birth the baby without further damage. But, the medical staff may wait too long to perform a cesarean. If so, the consequences for mother and child could be quite grave.

What Are Some Other Possible Causes of Childbirth Injury in Louisville?

Other types of medical neglect that could result in injuries to the child or the birth mother include:

  • Failing to perform sufficient prenatal testing
  • Not using labor-inducing drugs timely
  • Failing to diagnose or treat infections, umbilical cord entrapment, placental abruption, premature rupture of the membranes or placenta previa
  • Not addressing changes in the baby’s condition

Neonatal Femur Fractures

Very Well Health states that a child’s femur can be fractured if the child is awkwardly grasped and pulled during the birthing process. This generally occurs when the leg is grabbed, twisted, and pulled when trying to remove the baby from the birth canal. Pain when the leg is moved is the general indicator of a fractured femur. If this occurs, the child is generally treated by wearing a Pavlik Harness.

Maternal Nutrition

Poor dietary decisions can have an increasingly bad effect on both mother and child, according to UNICEF. Iodine, iron, calcium, and zinc are all heavily required by both parties during a pregnancy to make sure that optimal health is achieved. Anemia, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes can all be brought on by poor nutrition. In addition, you run the risk of a child undergoing low birth weight, developmental delays, or even being stillborn.

Why Should You Take Action for Your Child Birth Injury?

It is essential that any parent whose child has been diagnosed with a birth injury in Louisville, take action to seek financial compensation. The most practical reason to pursue a childbirth injury lawsuit is to protect your financial future. A child and their mother may have to deal with a lifetime of setbacks and disabilities. The costs for treatment, medical equipment, and medications can overwhelm your budget quickly. As well, the trajectory of your life or your child’s can depend on pursuing civil action.

Utilizing new technologies and better techniques, the infant mortality rate in Kentucky decreased by 28% from 2009 to 2019.This is according to a post from the March of Dimes. The latest statistics from Kentucky show that 260 infants died per year, averaging out to 4.9 deaths per every 1,000 live births.

Injury to your child is a nightmare scenario. But it may be in your best interest to engage the services of an experienced Louisville attorney if your child was injured in childbirth. He or she can help you navigate these processes and help enforce your child’s rights.

Work With an Experienced Local Child Birth Injury Lawyer in Louisville, Kentucky 

If you suspect child birth injury medical malpractice in Louisville, you should take action. Find a local child birth injury lawyer to navigate the often difficult waters of birth injury lawsuits. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Kentucky state lines.

Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!

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