(845) 802-0047Preeclampsia is a common pregnancy complication. When the mother’s prenatal team discovers it early, treatment could reduce the danger for mother and child. However, if the mother does not receive a timely diagnosis or proper treatment, preeclampsia could lead to stillbirth, significant birth injuries, and even maternal death.
If your family experienced a tragedy because of a failure to diagnose or properly treat preeclampsia, you could seek compensation from the medical professionals whose failures led to your heartbreak. A Newburgh preeclampsia lawyer could assist through the legal process until you receive appropriate damages for your family’s losses.
Understanding Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a type of high blood pressure that is pregnancy-related. According to the March of Dimes, it typically develops in the latter half of pregnancy or could manifest after delivery. As a general rule, the earlier in a pregnancy that preeclampsia develops, the greater the chance of serious complications.
Risk Factors
Although preeclampsia could affect any woman, some are at higher risk of developing it. A woman might be more likely to develop preeclampsia if she has any of the following risk factors:
- Family history of preeclampsia, or preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy
- Pregnant with more than one child
- Diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, or lupus
- Age 35 or older
- First pregnancy, or ten years or more since the last pregnancy
- Pregnancy resulting from in-vitro fertilization
- Obesity
Symptoms
Expectant mothers with preeclampsia sometimes feel fine but many experience some symptoms. Changes in vision, like blurriness, seeing spots, and light sensitivity could signify preeclampsia. A persistent headache, pain in the upper belly or right shoulder, and swelling in the face, hands, or feet are also symptoms. Some women experience nausea or vomiting. These symptoms also could be signs of other conditions, so a pregnant woman should report all changes or discomfort to her doctor.
Treatment
If a pregnant woman has any preeclampsia risk factors, her physician should monitor her closely, including blood pressure checks and looking for protein in the urine at every prenatal visit. Blood tests can confirm preeclampsia. Ultrasound examinations and other tests can reveal whether the baby is growing and developing as expected. Depending on the severity of a mother’s condition, a physician might order her to take baby aspirin or a prescription drug. If preeclampsia is severe or develops early in pregnancy, the physician might admit the mother to the hospital or decide to deliver the baby early.
If a healthcare professional fails to note a mother’s risk factors or misses a diagnosis due to a failure to monitor the mother’s condition, they might be liable for all losses resulting from that failure. A Newburgh preeclampsia attorney could review a mother’s medical records to determine whether or not the practitioner’s performance met an appropriate standard of care.
Consequences
Untreated or improperly treated preeclampsia could have severe consequences for the mother. Her blood might not clot properly, causing excessive bleeding, including post-partum hemorrhage, which could be fatal. Preeclampsia could cause damage to the liver, kidneys, or brain and could lead to a stroke. If the condition progresses to eclampsia, the mother could go into a coma.
Preeclampsia could lead to premature birth or placental abruption. The baby might not grow properly in the womb, and its organs might be underdeveloped at birth. Children of mothers with preeclampsia often have low birth weight, and there is a high incidence of stillbirth in mothers with the condition.
Hold a Negligent Practitioner Accountable
In cases relating to medical treatment, a provider is negligent if they fail to meet the prevailing standard of care, which is the degree of knowledge and skill that a provider of similar training would apply in similar circumstances.
However, the law recognizes that medicine is not an exact science, and many factors influence disease and a patient’s response to treatment. New York Civil Practice Law and Rules § 3012-A requires a Newburgh preeclampsia injury attorney to file a Certificate of Merit with the initial filing in any lawsuit alleging medical malpractice. This document is a statement by a medical professional with expertise in the relevant condition affirming that the care a patient received did not meet an appropriate standard of care.
If the lawyer can prove that the mother or baby suffered actual harm because of a medical professional’s failure to timely diagnose or treat preeclampsia, the plaintiff is owed damages. These damages could include the cost of medical treatment for the mother and baby, time off work, expenses relating to recovering from or living with the injury, and other documentable and undocumented costs.
Trust a Newburgh Preeclampsia Attorney to Handle Your Claim
If a failure to diagnose or treat preeclampsia injured you or your child, or caused the death of a mother or a baby in your family, the law allows you to pursue compensation for the loss. Although nothing could truly make a family whole again after such an experience, holding the negligent medical professional responsible could offer some closure.
A Newburgh preeclampsia lawyer understands what you are going through and what you need to move forward. Call today to schedule an appointment with a compassionate attorney.