Chicago Birth Injury Attorney
Childbirth injuries can result in debilitating injuries to the mother as well as to the newborn. While some childbirth injuries do occur even though a doctor provided quality care to the pregnant mother or the baby, many childbirth injuries are caused by medical negligence. When medical negligence results in serious harm to a pregnant mother or a baby, it is critical to learn more about options for holding the healthcare provider accountable and seeking financial compensation for losses. An experienced Chicago birth injury attorney can assess your case for you today.
- Birth Complications
- Cephalohematoma
- Cord Prolapse
- Cranial Compression Injuries
- Developmental Disabilities Due to Birth Injuries
- Epidural Injury
- Failure to Treat Pre-Term Labor
- Fetal Monitoring Errors
- Fetal Ultrasound Errors
- Fetal Macrosomia
- HIE
- Improper Delivery Techniques
- Infant Injury
- Injuries from Prematurity
- Maternal Birth Injury
- Maternal Death
- Neonatal Sepsis
- NICU Error
- NICU Injuries
- Nursing Negligence and Birth Injuries
- OB-GYN Malpractice
- Pitocin Errors
- Placenta Birth Injury
- Placental Abruption
- Preeclampsia Birth Injury
- Pregnancy Errors
- Radiologist Errors
- Retained Surgical Instruments
- Stillbirths and Death
- Umbilical Cord Birth Injury
- Umbilical Cord Strangulation
- Unnecessary C-Section Malpractice
- Uterine Rupture
- Wrongful Birth
Common Types of Chicago Childbirth Injuries and Maternal Health
Childbirth injuries can take many different forms in Chicago, and they can impact the pregnant mother or the newborn. Common injuries affecting the mother, which can also be known as maternal injuries, can include, for example:
- Vaginal tear;
- Uterine rupture;
- Episiotomy error;
- Undiagnosed or improperly treated preeclampsia;
- Epidural and other anesthesia errors;
- Unnecessary cesarean delivery (C-section); or
- Mistake during a C-section.
Many of the above injuries or medical mistakes can lead to serious infections, especially when a healthcare provider’s care is substandard. When infections occur following procedures during labor and delivery, the patient should find out if she is able to file a medical negligence claim.
Common Types of Birth Injuries During Childbirth in Chicago
Similar to injuries affecting the pregnant patient, many different types of childbirth injuries can also result in serious and life-threatening injuries to the newborn. According to Stanford Children’s Health, the following are among the most common types of birth injuries:
- Brachial palsy;
- Bruising;
- Forcep marks;
- Caput succedaneum;
- Cephalohematoma;
- Facial paralysis;
- Fractures, including clavicle fractures and skull fractures; and
- Subconjunctival hemorrhages.
Healthcare Providers and Liability for Chicago Childbirth Injuries
Who is most often liable for childbirth injuries? A wide variety of healthcare providers may be responsible for damages, and in some cases, more than one party may be named as a defendant in a childbirth injury lawsuit. Common examples of healthcare providers who can be responsible for childbirth injuries include but are not limited to:
- Ob-gyn who provides the pregnant patient with prenatal care, or the ob-gyn who delivers the baby (often it is the same doctor);
- Nurses involved in prenatal care, or in labor and delivery, including LPNs, RNs, nurse practitioners, and nurse midwives;
- Anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist responsible for placing an epidural; or
- Hospital or other facility where the pregnant patient received prenatal care or where the baby was delivered.
Most childbirth injury claims must be filed within two years from the date of the injury under Illinois law, although certain birth injury claims may have an extended statute of limitations.
Contact Our Chicago Childbirth Injury Attorneys
If you were injured during childbirth, or if your newborn suffered serious birth injuries during childbirth, you could be eligible to file a medical negligence claim against one or more of your healthcare providers. If any injury resulted from a healthcare provider’s negligence, one of our Chicago birth injury lawyers can provide you with more information about medical malpractice lawsuits in Illinois, and we can assist you with your claim. Contact Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC to learn more about our services.
