Call Today For A Free Consultation: 480-951-3949

Call Today For A Free Consultation: 480-951-3949

In the face of tragedy, the advocacy you seek matters.

Holding Medical Professionals Accountable For Birth Unit Errors

While most parents are excited to be having a baby, excitement can quickly turn to sadness if the doctor delivering your baby makes a mistake that results in serious injury to your newborn. If the doctor could have taken preventative action in the delivery room and didn’t, it’s considered medical malpractice, and you may be entitled to compensation. At The Law Office of Robert H. Kleinschmidt, P.C., in Scottsdale, our lawyer works hard to help hold negligent medical professionals accountable and to help you recover the full and fair compensation to which you are entitled.

Forceps Injuries And Other Forms Of Negligence

A lot of delivery room injuries occur due to the delivering physician using improper techniques to deliver the baby. There are three types of problems that could be construed as doctor negligence if they contribute to your baby’s injuries or death.

Forceps injuries — Sometimes, a baby seems “stuck” in the womb. Although the mother is pushing, the child isn’t moving forward through the birth canal. Doctors often use forceps to help reposition the child or pull him or her out of the womb. However, newborns’ bones are fragile, and the bones in the skull are unfused. If the doctor applies forceps too forcefully, the child’s bones could break and the child could be seriously injured. In some cases, it could cause brain damage during birth. Improper use of forceps is therefore a serious birth unit error, and worse, it’s completely avoidable if the doctor learns how to use forceps correctly.

Manual repositioning injuries — To avoid the risks associated with using forceps, some doctors will reach inside the womb and manually reposition the baby. This can be problematic; if the doctor makes a mistake, he or she can injure the baby. Mispositioning the baby can also cause the umbilical cord to become tangled or to choke the baby as it exits the womb.

Improper monitoring of epidural drugs — Mothers often request epidural drugs to reduce pain while in labor. However, doctors need to monitor this type of drug use because any drugs the mother takes will get into the baby’s system during labor. Overuse of epidural drugs can cause learning disabilities and birth defects.

High-Risk Pregnancies

In addition to making mistakes during delivery, doctor negligence can occur if the mother is at high risk for complications and the doctor fails to take these risks into account.

If a mother has high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia or diabetes during her pregnancy, these conditions can be dangerous to both her and her child. Similarly, mothers who carry two or more babies are at higher risk for complications. If the doctor knows there is reason to be concerned and doesn’t take adequate precautions, he or she may be liable for any injuries that occur.

Contact Our Arizona Law Firm For A Free Initial Consultation

If your child was injured during birth due to medical error or negligence, call an attorney with the legal acumen and experience to take on the most complex birth injury case. Call attorney Robert H. Kleinschmidt at 480-951-3949 or contact us online for a free birth injury case analysis. We provide legal representation to people throughout the greater Phoenix area.