Jackson Birth Injury Lawyer
Many infant deliveries are essentially routine, but a significant number of them involve serious complications. SD (Shoulder Dystocia) is one of the leading such problems. If a baby is too large to move down a mother’s narrow birth canal, the mother’s umbilical cord could restrict oxygen to the brain and cause permanent brain damage in less than five minutes. Since the clock is ticking and the pressure is on, many doctors make poor decisions, as outlined below.
The compassionate Jackson birth injury lawyer at Keith B. French Law understand how quickly, and how completely, a birth injury turns a joyous event into a tragic event. So, we not only work hard to obtain compensation and justice for these families. We also proactively communicate with our clients throughout the entire process, so they are never in the dark.
Duty of Care
Significant compensation is usually available in these cases, partially because of the staggering lifelong costs of raising a disabled child. The high duty of care that physicians have also plays a part.
Doctors usually have a fiduciary duty in these situations. They must set aside all other concerns and only do what is best for their patients. They must also use every bit of their skill and experience in every situation. Doctors can never simply go through the motions.
This high duty of care applies to prenatal visits as well as actions in the delivery room. Once again, SD is a good example of doctor negligence. Many physicians dismiss some red flags, such as an LGA (Large for Gestational Age) baby or an obese mother, as “borderline” risks. So, they do not take appropriate action. Later, if a crisis occurs in the delivery room, the doctor has a duty to make evidence-based reactions. Doctors can never fall back on unsafe or unreliable techniques.
Unsafe Delivery Aids
Like many of us, doctors often make poor decisions under pressure. When things go wrong in the delivery room, these poor decisions often involve:
- Forceps: This mechanical birth aid, which is essentially unchanged since it was introduced around 1700, is basically a pair of very large salad tongs. A doctor grabs a baby’s head, or other exposed part of the body, and tries to pull the baby out of the mother. Since tiny infants are so fragile, this additional force often causes catastrophic injuries.
- Vacuum Extractor: A doctor attaches a metal cap to a stuck baby’s head. This cap is attached to a vacuum hose. Then, the doctor tried to suck the baby out of the mother. Since a vacuum extractor uses even more force than a forceps delivery, the injuries involved, especially head injuries, are usually worse as well.
- Episiotomy: Doctors once routinely cut the mother’s perineum (area between the anus and genitals) to widen her birth canal. Now, pediatric practice groups advise against these incisions. They are not particularly effective and also often cause uncontrollable bleeding, both during and after delivery.
Damages in a birth injury or other medical malpractice case usually include compensation for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Additional punitive damages are usually available as well. These damages punish negligent doctors and deter future wrongdoing.
Reach Out to a Dedicated Hinds County Lawyer
Injury victims are usually entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced birth injury lawyer in Jackson, contact Keith B. French Law, PLLC. Our attorney can connect victims with doctors, even if they have no insurance or money.
