(845) 802-0047The placenta is the part of the inner lining of the uterus where the mother provides nourishment and oxygen to the baby through the umbilical cord. When the placenta breaks off the inner lining of the uterus, it is called a placental abruption. It could result in a sudden lack of oxygen to the baby. That is a critical situation that would require an emergency caesarean section delivery of the baby.
If you experienced placental abruption and your medical provider failed to respond appropriately, you may have grounds for a lawsuit. An experienced birth injury attorney could analyze your situation and provide advice about your legal options. Contact a Hudson Valley placental abruption lawyer today.
Signs and Symptoms
The most common symptom of placental abruption is a sudden drop in the baby’s heart rate. That would be a sign on the external fetal monitor. The child’s heart rate would typically be between 130 and 170 beats per minute, and if it drops suddenly, it could be a sign of placental abruption. That is a medical emergency for both the mother and the baby.
What Symptoms Should the Mother be Looking For?
The mother’s symptoms are also significant. For example, the mother typically would only have pain during the uterine contractions. If there is atypical pain between the resting phases when there should be no pain at all, it could be a sign of a placental abruption.
What Are the Treatment Options?
The only treatment available to help reduce the risk for placental abruption is to deliver the baby. Once the placenta ruptures from the inner lining of the uterus, the baby is going to have a sudden lack of oxygen and nourishment and needs to be delivered. That would be done through an emergency caesarean section because there is no other form of treatment for addressing placental abruption.
If the doctors or nurses detect the placental abruption quickly and deliver the child, there is no delay in treatment and the mother received the proper care. If the mother arrives at the hospital and there is a delay in diagnosing and treating the placental abruption, it could cause long-term brain damage or death to the child and the mother.
Filing a Medical Malpractice Suit
To file a medical malpractice lawsuit for placental abruption in Hudson Valley, a lawyer needs to prove that there was a deviation from accepted medical standards of care. Typically, that would require an opinion from an obstetrician that there was a delay in the diagnosis and treatment of the placental abruption. Additionally, one would need a medical opinion, typically from a pediatric neurologist, that the delay in the diagnosis and treatment of the placental abruption caused long-term brain damage to the infant.
The process for filing a Hudson Valley placental abruption lawsuit involves the preparation of a summons, a complaint, and a certificate of merit. Those documents would be, in most cases, electronically filed in the county where the client resides or where the doctor practices. The filing of the summons complaint and the certificate of merit constitutes the commencement of a lawsuit in New York.
How a Hudson Valley Birth Injury Attorney Could Help
A knowledgeable Hudson Valley lawyer could help someone who has experienced placental abruption by giving answers as to whether the injury or the brain damage to the child was preventable. If there is a case for medical malpractice, an experienced attorney could provide legal advice and fight to protect your interests. Learn more about your options from a skilled Hudson Valley placental abruption lawyer today.