Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s have a look at some of the most frequently asked questions that would-be parents have concerning birth injuries. These are meant to not only resolve some of the questions that you might have, but also give you peace of mind.
Birth Injury
Yes, as birth injuries are often caused by human error. In fact, 30 percent of all birth injuries happen simply as a result of communication errors between the medical staff and doctors. Other preventable birth injury causes include failure to diagnose a condition, misdiagnosing a patient, medication misuse, and medical mistakes due to exhaustion or carelessness.
A birth defect or birth disorder happens as a result of an abnormality in the infant’s DNA. Essentially, the infant had a biological predisposition to it, and he or she was born with the defect as a result. A birth injury, on the other hand, occurs shortly before or during birth.
Birth injuries are often caused by human error, meaning the doctor or another medical professional made a mistake. Sometimes these errors are more obvious, like the improper use of forceps. But even in cases where it appears that an injury was beyond anyone’s control, like a prolapsed umbilical cord that caused a child to suffer from brain damage or cerebral palsy, medical negligence could still be present. Delayed c-sections, prolonged birth, and insufficient medical monitoring are all examples of medical errors that cause birth injuries.
Birth injuries range in severity. While some infants’ symptoms will improve over time, others will face a lifetime disability. In those severe cases, families can seek financial help to help alleviate the burden of long-term medical care. Contact a legal professional to discuss your situation and options for financial relief.
If it happens to you, you should hold those responsible as liable for the injury inflicted upon your child. Unfortunately, you can’t control things such as when a misdiagnosis happens. You should never feel afraid to ask your healthcare providers any questions or to bring up any concerns that you might have. These answers to common birth injury questions will help give you greater insight on how to proceed if your child was affected. You should always trust your gut instinct. When you don’t think something feels right, speak up, and have your voice heard. In some cases, the experts aren’t always right.