Illinois Failure to Treat Preterm Labor Attorney
Preterm labor may begin as early as twenty weeks into gestation. A mother who experiences uncontrolled preterm labor usually gives birth to a premature infant. These babies often have immediate serious health problems, as well as long term developmental and other delays. Preterm labor risk factors include multiple pregnancies (triplets or twins), maternal use of alcohol, tobacco, or other risky substances, physical maternal abnormalities, like an unusually small cervix, and an AMA (Advanced for Maternal Age) or an extremely young mother.
The experienced Illinois preterm labor attorneys at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman routinely handle these matters on a nationwide basis. So, we are completely familiar with all the technical, procedural, and other rules in different courts. This familiarly includes the unwritten rules. So, we are well-positioned to obtain maximum compensation in your case. Because of our strong reputation in this area, we are generally able to settle these matters out of court, and on victim-friendly terms.
What Causes Preterm Labor?
In a word, or actually in two words, medical negligence usually causes preterm labor and other birth complications.
We mentioned some common risk factors above. To any doctor who is looking closely enough, these risk factors are bright red flags that demand attention. But some doctors are too busy to look closely enough. Others approach these problems with an “I’ve got this” attitude, so they fail to take adequate precautions.
Preterm labor is very difficult to stop once it starts. Some drugs are available. Rest might help as well. However, preterm labor is relatively easy to prevent. Mothers who eat healthy diets, manage their chronic conditions, and space their pregnancies well (twelve to fifty-nine months between pregnancies) rarely have preterm labor issues.
In other words, this condition does not “just happen.” For the most part, doctors know what causes it, and they know how to prevent it. That’s the very definition of negligence, or a lack of care.
Doctors have a great deal of experience and training. Furthermore, they have almost complete control over a mother’s, and a baby’s, health and safety. Because of this experience, training, and trust, the duty of care is very high in these cases. Therefore, it is easier for a Chicago preterm labor attorney to prove negligence, which as mentioned, is essentially carelessness.
Damages Available
Premature infants normally require extended, and expensive, stays in neonatal intensive care units. Furthermore, these individuals usually also require lifelong medical care. Therefore, the medical bills alone could be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Compensation is available for these expenses, as well as other economic losses. Victims and their families should not have to depend on the kindness of strangers or government largesse in this area. They need to be able to take care of these expenses themselves.
Economic losses are just the beginning. Very few events suck the joy out of life faster, or more completely, than a serious birth injury that was not the victim’s fault. So, victims also deserve compensation for their pain and suffering, loss of consortium (companionship), emotional distress, loss of enjoyment in life, and other noneconomic losses.
Additional punitive damages are usually available in birth injury cases as well. These additional damages punish tortfeasors (negligent parties) and deter future misconduct.
Work with a Savvy Chicago Cook County Attorney
Injury victims are usually entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced premature infant injuries attorney in Chicago, contact Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman LLC by going online or calling 312-993-5750. After-hours, home, virtual, and hospital visits are available.