Complications from pregnancy and childbirth, as well as other perinatal conditions, are a leading cause of hospitalization in New York City. Most births result in short hospital stays, but complications related to pregnancy can keep both mothers and their babies in hospitals for much longer. While some of the reasons for these hospitalizations are natural, others are the result of mistakes by medical professionals.
Doctors, surgeons, obstetricians, and others involved in caring for pregnant women and their children sometimes create dangerous situations through their mistakes. Injuries to the child that may result from negligence include:
- Cerebral palsy. Oxygen deprivation due to problems during birth can lead to a disorder that affects patients for a lifetime. Symptoms of the illness include developmental issues and mobility problems.
- Erb’s palsy. Injury to nerves known as the brachial plexus can cause mobility problems. These injuries frequently occur due to mistakes by doctors during the birth process, including improper use of forceps.
- Umbilical cord problems. When doctors fail to recognize and address problems with the umbilical cord before or during birth, a child may suffer damage to their bodies or brains.
- Brain damage. There are many types of errors that can lead to brain damage in infants, and many of these errors involve a failure to recognize or correct maternal or fetal conditions before or during birth.
In addition to causing damage to newborns, negligence by medical professionals can lead to serious injury or death of the mother. Many of these mistakes occur during the Cesarean section (C-section) process.
To learn more about filing a medical malpractice claim after a birth injury, meet with a skilled New York personal injury lawyer at Rubenstein & Rynecki. Call us at (718) 522-1020 or contact us online to get started.
