5 Reasons to Seek Legal Help after a Birth Injury

A birth injury, as the name suggests, is any sort of physical damage to either the mother or the newborn before, during, or after childbirth.  Many newborns, during the delivery process, suffer minor injuries. The majority of these heal on their own without any treatment. However, some may require extensive treatments, and unfortunately, some serious birth injuries are incurable, and your child may be disabled for life. 

Not many people are aware of the reasons for childbirth injuries, and if you believe it is a consequence of medical malpractice, then consider hiring a birth injury attorney who will get you compensated for the injuries. 

In this article, we will look at five reasons to seek legal help after a birth injury. By knowing these, you, or anyone you know who has suffered birth injuries as a result of medical negligence, can consult a lawyer to help handle your case in order to prevent the financial and emotional burden associated with it.

Medical Negligence 

Medical negligence is an agonizing issue that can have far-reaching effects on patients and their families. A newborn’s life can be irreversibly harmed in an instant if the medical professionals act recklessly during a delivery procedure. It is necessary to seek birth injury legal aid in order to help your family receive financial compensation associated with the treatment of these birth injuries. 

There are several stages throughout the process where medical negligence can occur before and during birth. 

Before Birth (During Pregnancy)

Medical negligence during pregnancy can have serious complications for the mother and the child. Doctors at this stage may fail to recognize and treat critical conditions, leading to delayed treatment. Factors leading to complications at birth may include diabetes, infections, obesity, hypertension, and any other conditions that require treatment to ensure there are no serious complications during birth.

During Birth

The most crucial aspect of pregnancy is the childbirth. Doctors and staff might commit acts of negligence at this stage. These can be failure to detect the vitals of the infant and the mother, failure to operate (if required), pulling or tugging on the baby appropriately during birth, and misuse of surgical tools.

Families affected by medical negligence during birth have the right to seek justice and get compensated for their financial loss and emotional trauma. This may entail filing a lawsuit in order to hold the parties accountable for their negligence or malpractice. Hence, you’ll need an experienced attorney or law firm by your side to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve. 

The Effects of Birth Injury on the Child

Undoubtedly, giving birth is a difficult and demanding procedure that may result in various inevitable injuries that can have a wide range of lifelong effects on the child. These include Physical Disabilities, Cognitive disabilities, Pain, Behavioral Issues, Limited Mobility, Reduced Social Interaction, Educational Challenges, Financial Strain, and Stress.

Birth injuries can have short and long-term effects on not only the child but the mother as well. Mothers affected by birth injury due to medical negligence can experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health problems as well.

Getting legal aid, in this case, can help you get peace of mind and reduce the financial burden during the troublesome time, allowing you to focus on your family.

Specialized Care

Children with birth injuries require specialized treatment to address their particular needs and problems. Trained caregivers play an important role in these children’s lives, giving the necessary love and support the child needs in order to navigate the challenges they face.

Birth injury attorneys play a vital role in ensuring that the families involved have access to specialized treatment and other resources they require to enhance their child’s life. 

Rehabilitation costs

Birth Injuries can be financially draining due to the extensive rehabilitation process. A birth injury lawyer can assist you in determining the appropriate damages for your particular case. 

There are two broad categories of damages: economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages are compensations for out-of-pocket expenditures incurred as a result of your child’s injury, such as prosthetics, nursing assistance, and past and future expenses. Non-economic damages result in compensation for the more intangible losses such as disability, deformity, and pain.

Lawyers would make sure you, as a victim, know the category you belong to so that you can gain financial aid accordingly. They can also help you navigate complex insurance claims and ensure that the insurance companies meet the demands and commitments to reimburse medical expenditures.

Emotional Trauma

The birth of a child should be and is a joyful event. Parents wait for nine months, excited to finally experience and witness the birth of their child. Birth injuries, on the other hand, can be emotionally damaging to the child, the parents, and everyone involved. You might find it difficult to deal with. Feelings of hopelessness can arise as you trust a doctor with your child’s life. A small mistake can result in a devastating outcome, turning joy into grief in most cases.

Attorneys evaluate more than just the monetary compensation required to assist in the financial aid of the birth injury. They also consider your emotional pain and suffering as well. They will first examine the situation and compile a comprehensive list of the expenses involved in your case. These include losses such as lost income from missed work, loss of social life, medical expenses, counseling expenses, home modification expenses, equipment expenses, and emotional therapy expenses. 

Conclusion

Doctors and health care providers are obliged to give quality care to the patient. Often, negligence and malpractice can cause birth injuries, which can affect both the child and the parents for the rest of their lives. 

To claim compensation for birth injuries, you first need to identify the cause. Were they caused by malpractice? Or were they unavoidable? You must decide if they were birth injuries or birth defects –  a lawyer can help you there as well.

Birth Injury lawyers have the knowledge and the experience to research the facts surrounding an injury. They can assist you in filing a claim and throughout the legal process. With legal guidance, families can find a route to healing and justice.