When we hear the phrase “birth injury,” we often think of injuries to infants, such as cerebral palsy and Erb’s palsy. Yet, a large number of birth injuries are actually injuries to the mother. In fact, for many women, giving birth is the most dangerous thing they will ever do.
Delivery professionals do what they do every day. They have been trained in the proper procedures and should know how to respond to emergencies. That is why we trust them with our lives and the lives of our infants. Yet, they are human and make mistakes. If those mistakes cause injury to a mother or her child, the negligent doctors can be held accountable through a birth injury lawsuit.
Some of the most common injuries to mothers during birth include:
- Uterine infections caused by improper labor inducement
- Vaginal tears / fissures caused by excessive pressure
- Ruptured uterus caused by drugs used to induce labor
- Sepsis infections caused by injuries to the bladder or another organ
- Injuries caused by cesarean section (C-section)
- Preeclampsia, or high blood pressure and protein count
- Anesthesia errors
- Wrongful death
Most of the mistakes above are both preventable and detectable. If an injury occurs, doctors have specific actions they must take to prevent future injury. Failure to follow the standard of care required of their profession is medical malpractice.
When a beautiful moment turns into a tragedy, you want answers. You want to know why you, your wife or your infant was injured. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can help you find those answers.