(845) 303-1000The birth of a child should be a moment of joy. When a preventable mistake during pregnancy, labor, or delivery injures a newborn, the consequences can last a lifetime and require years of medical care. Parents often feel frightened, exhausted, and unsure whether the medical team could have prevented the injury. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer can help a patient or their family find answers about what happened.
Determining whether negligence or an unavoidable complication caused a birth injury is rarely simple. A Bronx birth injury lawyer can examine the medical records, consult medical professionals, and determine whether a provider failed to meet the standard of care. Contact our team today to learn more.
Common Causes of Birth Injuries
Preventable errors during labor and delivery can cause serious harm. When a medical team fails to act at a critical moment, a healthy pregnancy can end in lasting harm. Common causes include:
- Failure to monitor the baby’s heart rate for distress
- Failure to perform a timely cesarean section
- Improper use of forceps or a vacuum device
- Oxygen deprivation during a difficult delivery
- Failure to treat infections or maternal conditions
- Medication errors affecting the mother or newborn
These errors can lead to conditions such as cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, brain injuries, and fractures. Some become clear immediately, while others emerge only as a child grows and misses developmental milestones. An attorney in the Bronx could work with medical professionals to trace an injury during childbirth to its cause and determine whether the medical team could have avoided the harm.
Negligence Versus an Unavoidable Complication
A poor outcome alone does not prove malpractice. Childbirth carries real risks, and some injuries happen despite skilled, attentive care. The law focuses on the choices the medical team made rather than the result. Negligence exists when a provider departs from sound medical judgment, such as by misreading signs of distress or waiting too long to intervene.
You or a loved one may have questions that require a careful review of the prenatal records, fetal monitoring strips, and decisions the medical team made during delivery. When an injury occurs during labor or delivery, a Bronx attorney could compare the medical team’s conduct with the applicable standard of care and build a clear account of where the treatment went wrong.
What Long-Term Costs Can a Birth Injury Bring?
A serious birth injury rarely ends with the initial hospital stay. Conditions such as cerebral palsy or a brain injury can require a lifetime of care, and families may face substantial costs. Ongoing expenses may include:
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- Assistive equipment, such as wheelchairs or braces
- Home modifications for accessibility
- Educational and support services
- Ongoing medical and specialist care
Other losses may emerge over time, such as a child’s limited ability to work and earn a living as an adult. To account for the full scope of these needs, attorneys often work with life-care planners who project decades of future costs. For a child who suffers harm during birth, a lawyer in the Bronx could help account for both immediate expenses and the lifelong support the child may require.
Contact a Bronx Attorney About a Childbirth Injury
A birth injury can reshape your family’s future and create long-term medical needs and expenses. Understanding whether negligence contributed to the harm could help your family determine what options to consider.
At John Fisher, New York Injury and Malpractice Law Firm, P.C., we help protect the patient’s rights and assess the circumstances surrounding the injury. Contact our Bronx birth injury lawyer today to discuss your family’s situation.