During pregnancy, Pennsylvania mothers need to be able to count on the medical expertise of their doctors, and it is only natural to expect excellent care from conception through the birth of the baby. The lives of mothers and their infants are in the hands of the medical caregivers during the birth and immediately afterward. Medical negligence is completely unacceptable and can lead to birth injury.
A mother from another state recently filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctors and medical facility where she gave birth to her son in 2011. She alleges that the doctor failed to identify an imminent dangerous situation by not estimating the fetal weight in advance. She claims that the size of the baby necessitated a c-section; however, this was allegedly not offered to her. Instead, excessive application of pressure in an attempt to deliver the baby caused irreversible injuries to the shoulder of the baby.
The mother claimed that, due to the baby’s size, his shoulder became stuck during birth, causing nerve injury of a permanent nature, resulting in limited movement of his hand, arm and shoulder. In addition, the child suffered severe pain. Fractures and other injuries during birth can be extremely traumatic for mother and baby.
Mothers in Pennsylvania who suspect that the birth of a child may have been handled in a way that suggests medical negligence, resulting in a birth injury to the newborn, retain the right to file a claim of medical malpractice in a court of law. The busy time directly following the birth and the fact that the baby has suffered injuries which necessitate extra care may discourage a mother from taking action. However, with the help that is available, she may pursue an award of monetary damages to cover current and future medical expenses related to the birth injury.
Source: The Madison-St.Clair Record, “Anderson Hospital and doctors named in med mal complaint”, , May 2, 2014