Roughly seven in every 1,000 live births result in an injury to the baby. Some of these injuries are more minor and transitory, whereas others are severe and will keep the child from living a normal life. Neonatal brain injuries are among the most serious effects of birth. These often result in permanent injuries that will remain with the child for the rest of their life. If these injuries were the result of medical negligence, your family can file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the professional and the hospital that employed them. First, you should contact an experienced medical malpractice lawyer because you will need them for what may be a very difficult case.
Causes of Neonatal Brain Injury
- Birth Asphyxia: There are numerous things that can occur during labor and delivery that could result in a momentary cutoff of oxygen to the baby. Even a brief interruption in their oxygen flow may be enough to cause serious injury to a brain that has not yet been fully developed.
- Traumatic Delivery: The baby experiences a great amount of physical trauma during labor and delivery. Any type of impact to or pressure on the head can cause a brain injury, especially considering the softness of a newborn’s skull. For example, the baby’s head may become injured when they are trying to pass through the birth canal when the doctor should have performed a cesarean section delivery.
- Maternal Infection or Distress: The mother may have a number of health conditions that could damage the baby’s brain. For example, they may have an infection that can raise a newborn baby’s fever once they are born. Gestational diabetes or maternal high blood pressure can also potentially cause brain damage to the baby in utero.
- Fetal Stroke: Any type of distress during labor and delivery may cause the infant to suffer a stroke that could result in brain damage.
Many forms of medical negligence can result in neonatal brain injury. The baby may also be at risk in the hospital in the hours after they are born. They could develop a health condition of their own because of the trauma of delivery. All health care providers who treat the baby must exercise a reasonable level of care, or else they could be held accountable for injuries in a lawsuit.
How Medical Malpractice Law Protects Your Family
The law protects you by allowing you to file a medical malpractice injury on behalf of your child against the medical professional responsible for what happened. If you can prove that they were negligent, they would need to pay damages. You may be able to obtain a substantial amount of compensation in a birth injury lawsuit that can provide for your child’s needs for the rest of their life. The compensation that your child receives could also cover their non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering.
The point is that the medical professional can be held legally responsible, but you need to do so with the help of an experienced attorney. Birth injury cases are not known as easy lawsuits because of the complexity of the evidence involved. You may be looking at a lengthy legal process, but it is one that you need to go through on behalf of your child to get them what they deserve.
Washington, D.C., Birth Injury Lawyers at the Law Offices of Dr. Michael M. Wilson, M.D., J.D. & Associates Provide the Help Families Need
If you suspect your child’s injuries are the result of medical negligence, you need a dedicated legal advocate to protect your rights. Reach out to the Washington, D.C., birth injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Dr. Michael M. Wilson, M.D., J.D. & Associates. Call us at 202-223-4488 or complete our online form today for a free consultation. We have offices in Washington, D.C., and also serve clients in Northern Virginia and Maryland.
