Birth Injuries

Las Vegas Birth Injury Attorneys

Fighting for Children & Families After Preventable Birth Injuries

When your child is born, it is usually one of the happiest times of your life. Unfortunately, complications can arise during pregnancy and/or delivery, resulting in injuries to the child that have long-lasting consequences. In many cases, birth injuries are the result of negligence on the part of medical professionals. If this has happened to your family, it is important that you contact an attorney as soon as possible.

Birth Injury Lawsuits: An Overview

Birth injuries are potentially-severe injuries that occur during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. They often cause significant impairment and can affect the injured child and his or her family for a lifetime. In some instances, the parents of a child who has suffered a birth injury may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the person or people responsible for the injury.

What is Birth-Related Medical Malpractice?

Birth injury medical malpractice occurs when a medical provider is negligent in treating an infant or mother during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. Medical professionals have a duty to meet and provide a uniform standard of care, and they may be found negligent if they give substandard care and that substandard care causes injury to a newborn.

Some examples of possible negligence during delivery are:

Failure to recognize fetal distress or umbilical cord entrapment
Failure to monitor or perform proper tests
Improper use of forceps
Delay in ordering a medically-necessary cesarean section

What Are Some Common Birth Injuries?

Some of the injuries that can occur as a result of medical malpractice or medical negligence include:

Asphyxia occurs when an infant does not receive oxygen before, during, or immediately after birth. Without oxygen, the cells in the body cannot function properly and acid builds up in the cells, potentially causing permanent injury to the baby. The severity of injury to the baby depends on the duration and severity of the asphyxia before treatment was administered.
Birth paralysis is caused by spinal cord or nerve damage. In most cases, birth paralysis is the result of medical malpractice and should be investigated by a law firm as soon as possible.
Cerebral palsy is a motor coordination disability resulting from the damage caused to the brain before or during birth.
Brachial plexus injuries can cause long-term damage to the neck, shoulder, and arm. Brachial plexus injuries commonly result from shoulder dystocia during birth.
Shoulder dystocia occurs when, during a difficult birth, the anterior shoulder of the infant becomes impacted below the mother’s pelvic bone.
Erb’s palsy can result in partial or total paralysis of the face, arm, or hands. Erb’s palsy is typically the result of shoulder dystocia or other damage to the brachial plexus.
C-section injuries can affect both babies and mothers. While C-section births are common, mistakes do occur, and medical professionals can be held accountable.

Birth Injuries Resulting in the Death of a Mother

Medical errors during pregnancy put mothers and babies at risk. When the error is so egregious that it takes the mother’s life, no words can express the devastation experienced by the family. These injuries must be thoroughly investigated.

Despite medical advances in recent decades, women in the United States are still at risk of potentially fatal complications during pregnancy.

Such complications may include:

C-section injuries
Failure to diagnose or treat preeclampsia
Anesthesia errors
Vaginal birth errors associated with shoulder dystocia

Our firm advises and represents families who are seeking answers after losing a mother due to birth complications. In addition to the emotional impact of their loss, the family must contend with the various monetary costs resulting from death. A wrongful death claim may be the only way to alleviate the family’s financial and legal burdens, as well as hold the responsible parties accountable.

Our medical malpractice lawyers have extensive experience in these matters. We know how to investigate birth injuries, and we have a record of success in holding doctors, nurses, and health care facilities accountable.

Who Can Be Held Liable For A Birth Injury?

Negligence involves failing to adhere to policies and procedures that are instituted for the safety of a patient or failing to apply the normal standard of care expected given the circumstances of a particular patient.

The following are some of the parties who can be held liable for a birth injury:

Medical doctors (obstetricians/gynecologists)
Nurses
Health care facilities, hospitals, and clinics

Determining Liability

If a doctor, nurse, or other medical provider was negligent in treating a mother or infant, the individuals, as well as the hospital or clinic where they work, may be sued in a birth injury lawsuit. If the parents are able to prove the medical providers were negligent they may receive a monetary award called damages.

Damages can include compensation for:

The cost of past and future treatment for the birth injury and any related medical care including surgeries, rehabilitation, and specialized home care
Emotional and psychological distress suffered by the parents as a result of the birth injury

Importantly, some birth injuries occur naturally and are not the result of medical malpractice. Some medical conditions are genetic, and other injuries may be tragic accidents for which no one is legally responsible. If your child suffered a birth injury, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to determine whether you have a medical malpractice claim.

Let Us Help You

Birth injury cases are complex and emotionally and financially burdensome for the affected parties. Our birth injury attorneys in Las Vegas can help you determine whether a hospital or medical professional is potentially liable for the injury to your child and what options are available to you. We will do everything we can to make sure your family receives full and fair compensation for the injuries you have suffered.

If your child has suffered a serious injury during birth, please contact our office online or by phone at (702) 357-9977 to arrange a free initial consultation. No fee on birth injury cases unless we recover compensation for you.

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