A Birth Injury Can Have Long-Term Consequences for Your Family
The birth of a child should be a joyous occasion, but unfortunately, that is not always the case. When a medical professional responsible for delivering a baby fails to adhere to standards of care, a child may end up with cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, or other health condition that will affect them the rest of their life.
If your child was born with an injury, you need a birth injury lawyer. The attorneys at Sandoval Firm in Santa Fe, NM, can help determine whether medical malpractice occurred and hold the responsible party accountable.
Types of Birth Injuries
While a baby can be injured in many ways during birth, two of the most common types include:
- Cerebral Palsy: This condition is characterized by a group of neurological disorders that affect movement, posture, and coordination. Cerebral palsy is the result of low oxygen levels reaching the brain during or before birth. If the hospital, doctor, or medical staff caused or contributed to an error during gestation or birth, such as failure to detect a prolapsed umbilical cord or failure to order diagnostic tests, the responsible party could be held accountable.
- Erb’s Palsy: During childbirth, infants can suffer partial or total paralysis of the arm as a result of injury to the brachial plexus. While Erb’s palsy can resolve on its own, in many cases it requires rehabilitation or surgery.
Other common types of birth injuries include brain damage, anoxia, hypoxia, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), bone fractures, spinal cord injuries, fetal lacerations, and wrongful death. If medical negligence or carelessness on the part of the healthcare provider is the reason for your child’s injury, you maintain the legal right to hold them at fault.
Who Can Be Held Liable?
There are numerous reasons why birth injuries occur: oxygen deprivation, improper handling of the umbilical cord, poor care following childbirth, and failure to recognize and respond to distress. However, no matter the cause, it is important to understand who is responsible so they are held accountable. If your child endures an injury during childbirth, you may be able to hold the hospital, doctor, or medical staff responsible. A medical professional can be held accountable if, for example, they fail to recognize distress or improperly use their equipment. A medical facility can be held responsible if, for example, they fail to hire qualified medical personnel.
We can help you secure the financial compensation you deserve, including medical expenses and rehabilitation costs.
Why You Need to Hire a Birth Injury Lawyer
In order to prove medical malpractice, it is necessary to establish that the responsible party’s negligence caused your child’s injury. As is the case with any medical malpractice claim, the provider must have failed to meet the standard of care. Here are a few reasons why you need to hire a birth injury lawyer:
- The legal process is complex, especially with regard to medical issues, and you need to understand every step of the process.
- Securing financial compensation from a medical corporation can be difficult, as many large organizations have significant resources at their disposal.
- Demonstrating liability can be challenging because the facts are often highly technical and require interpretation by medical experts.
- You deserve the maximum compensation possible to ease the burden and improve your child’s future.
Contact a Birth Injury Lawyer in Santa Fe
If you believe your child’s injury occurred on account of a healthcare provider or medical facility’s negligence, consult with a birth injury lawyer at Sandoval Firm. We can help you secure the financial compensation you deserve, including medical expenses and rehabilitation costs. Call us at (505) 795-7790 or contact us online today.
