The birth of a baby should be a joyous occasion. Unfortunately, many parents have traumatic birthing experiences due to neglectful doctors and nurses. Babies continue to suffer birth injuries at an increasing rate in the U.S. Many parents wonder how to tell if you have a birth injury claim.
There’s a big difference between a birth injury and a birth defect. Birth injuries happen during delivery or because of treatment during pregnancy. Most birth defects are hereditary, meaning passed down or genetic disorders. A child with a birth injury would have developed on scheduled had the incident not happened. Birth injuries are for the most part avoidable. Birth defects are beyond anyone’s control.
Birth Injuries are Not Always Obvious
Birth injuries may not be visible when the baby is born. You may know there was an issue with delivery. Or there may have been an issue after delivery, but your baby isn’t showing immediate signs of harm. Birth injuries may not be noticed until several months later. This is the case with the common birth injury cerebral palsy. Other birth injuries that may not be immediately apparent include:
- brain injuries
- chronic seizures
- blindness and other disabilities resulting from oxygen deprivation
It may take years before your baby’s injuries are diagnosed. If you suspect there may be a problem, keep records of doctor appointments and treatment. Keep a list of physicians who treat your child. Also, request medical records. Lost records can hurt your child’s case in the future. Keep track of your expenses and what you’ve had to spend on doctor appointments and medical care.
Birth Injuries Can Cost Families a Great Deal
While no amount of money that makes the damage go away. Or any amount of compensation that will make your child well, a lawsuit may result in enough money to care for your child. You may find as you start keeping track of the money you are spending on your child’s care that you are spending quite a bit.
Birth injuries can cost a great deal. Not only will families have to pay medical bills and for prescriptions and doctors, but families will also likely lose income. It takes lots of time to care for a child with a birth injury. This is likely time out of work for parents.
Birth Injury Lawsuits
Birth injury lawsuits can be difficult cases. They are medical malpractice lawsuits. In Texas, medical malpractice is a complex area of law. If you are considering moving forward with a birth injury lawsuit, seek out an attorney who is familiar with this area of law. Also, look for someone who you feel comfortable with. You will need to trust them with personal information.
Not only can birth injury lawsuits help families care for their children, but they can also prevent the same injury from happening again in the future. Litigation is a way of holding doctors, nurses, and healthcare providers responsible for their actions. This can get their attention and help make them more careful with other babies.
