The birth of a baby is meant to be a joyous and exciting event. However, for some parents, this momentous occasion can be overshadowed by tragedy. When medical professionals fail to provide the standard of care required during labor and delivery, infants can suffer severe injuries or experience traumatic events that can have long-lasting effects on their health and development.
If your child has suffered a birth injury or experienced birth trauma, you may be eligible for a lawsuit against the responsible healthcare providers. When pursuing a claim, it is essential to know whether your baby experienced a birth injury or birth trauma, and to contact an experienced injury attorney in Las Vegas.
Understanding Birth Injury
Birth injury is an umbrella term that encompasses any type of harm suffered by an infant during the labor and delivery process. These injuries can be physical, such as fractures or brain damage, or non-physical, such as emotional distress or developmental delays.
Birth injuries are often the result of medical malpractice, such as a healthcare provider’s failure to monitor the baby’s vital signs, or delayed response to signs of fetal distress. Examples may include:
- Cerebral palsy
- Developmental delays
- Shoulder dystocia
- Facial paralysis
- Brachial plexus injuries (also known as Erb’s palsy)
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- Brain injuries due to oxygen deprivation
Mothers can also experience birth injuries due to excessive force or pressure during labor. These may include:
- Damage to the pelvis or uterine wall
- Nerve damage
- Vaginal tearing
- Side effects from medication
Understanding Birth Trauma
Birth trauma, on the other hand, is a more specific term that refers to physical injuries sustained by a newborn during childbirth. These injuries can occur due to various factors, such as the baby’s size, the mother’s pelvis shape, or complications during the delivery process.
Examples of birth trauma include:
- Bone fractures
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue injuries
- Bruising
- Hemorrhaging
- Lacerations
- Facial injuries
Filing a Birth Injury or Birth Trauma Claim in Nevada
If your child has suffered a birth injury or experienced birth trauma due to medical malpractice, you may qualify for legal action. As long as you can prove negligence, you may be entitled to pursue a legal claim against the responsible healthcare providers and/or the hospital where the birth took place. These claims allow you to recover compensation to address the damages that your child sustained, such as medical expenses, disability accommodations, and pain and suffering.
In Nevada, medical malpractice lawsuits involve proving that the healthcare provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care and that this failure directly caused harm to the patient. To build a strong case, you’ll need to work with a Las Vegas, Nevada medical malpractice attorney who can investigate the circumstances surrounding your child’s birth, gather evidence, and consult with medical experts to establish negligence.
Contact a Las Vegas Birth Injury Attorney Today
If your family has been affected by a birth injury or birth trauma, you deserve justice. Your attorney can help you understand your legal rights, navigate the complex process of filing a claim, and fight for the compensation your family deserves. Contact a Las Vegas birth injury lawyer for the support and advocacy you deserve during this challenging time.