Understanding Birth Injuries That Result from Medical Malpractice in Oregon
Parents are trusting that placing their baby in the care and hands of a licensed, experienced OB-GYN doctor or medical staff is the right choice. Many times, it is the right choice. Sometimes, however, the doctor or staff are medically negligent and commit medical malpractice. This malpractice can often lead to numerous birth injuries to the child, changing the lives of the child and entire family indefinitely. Since infants are small and fragile, even the slightest surgical nick, for example, can cause severe complications. Speak with our Portland Birth Injury Attorneys to examine these severe complications. Our Portland Attorneys can use our legal and medical experience to help you and your loved ones today when birth injuries that result from medical malpractice affect your loved one.
Actors who can be at fault for birth injury
It should be noted that not just the doctor is potentially at fault for a birth injury resulting from medical malpractice. Medical staff, such as nurses, medical assistants, nurse practitioners, and the hospital itself, can be found liable. Frequently, employees of the hospital, like nurses, will necessitate suing the hospital. If a group of medical staff cannot determine who was responsible for the medical malpractice, all those present will be held liable.
What will be determinative is what standard of care applies to the relevant actors. A standard of care is what the reasonable, prudent person would do in the same or similar circumstances. If the person’s behavior falls below the standard of care that is expected of them, then they may be found to be negligent. Experts are typically used to determine who was at fault and whether the standard of care threshold was met or not.
Types of birth injuries
There is a litany of birth injuries that have occurred and will continue to occur in this country. Our team of Birth Injury Attorneys in Portland can help you with this ever-evolving field of law. For example, each birth injury looks different, as each baby is different and the incidents vary, sometimes immensely. Since each birth injury is unique, the treatment must also be tailored to the birth injury and victim. The following are some of the many birth injuries that result from medical malpractice which may include the following:
- Cerebral Palsy
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Damage to the brain
- Wrongful death
- Loss of limb
- Broken bones
- Facial paralysis
- Disfigurement
- Ruptured umbilical cord
- Spinal cord injuries
- Sepsis or infection
- Hypoxic injuries (lack of oxygen to the brain)
- Bruising or forceps marks
- Brachial Palsy—the baby temporarily loses the ability to move their arm
- Hemorrhaging in the brain
How birth injuries happen
When the standard of care that applies to a particular professional is not met, negligence can be found. Some examples of medical errors that cause birth injuries that would entail a standard of care not being met include the following:
- Improperly performed C-Sections
- Improper prescribing of medicines or incorrect dosages
- Improper delivery procedure
- Failing to detect or delaying diagnosis of an infection
- Improperly monitoring fetal heart rate
- Failing to detect, delaying diagnosis, or misdiagnosing a major complication, of either the mother’s or infant’s
- Improperly using extractor and forceps
- Causing nicks to the skin or organs with surgical instruments
Ask Our Portland Birth Injuries Lawyers for Help in Oregon
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
