The birth of a child should be an event that is filled with joy. But for far too many expecting parents their anticipation of a happy moment in their lives is quickly shattered when they discover that their child has suffered a birth injury. These injuries can be extensive and include anything from broken bones to a fractured skull or the development of a severe medical condition like cerebral palsy. All of these injuries can cause short and long-term harm to a child, and caring for the birth injury can by physically, emotionally, and financially trying.
But a lot of times it’s not so easy to tell what has happened to your child. After all, newborn babies tend to cry and be fussy from time-to-time. But if your gut is telling you that something is wrong, then you should trust your parental instinct and investigate further. Here are some steps that you can take to better determine what happened to your child and take the appropriate course of action:
- Obtain medical records: The best place to start when assessing your child’s condition is medical records pertaining to the birth. Once you obtain these documents, you could assess the circumstances surrounding the birth to see if any errors occurred. For example, you’ll want to consider whether there was proper fetal monitoring and whether the delivery of the child occurred in a timely fashion. The child’s heartrate at various times during the preparation and actual delivery can be quite telling.
- Get another opinion: The medical professionals and the hospital that may be responsible for harming your child likely aren’t going to admit to any wrongdoing, so going to them with your questions might steer you down the wrong path. That’s why it’s oftentimes wise to seek another opinion. With your medical records in hand, you may be able to turn to another doctor for his or her interpretation of what happened to cause your child’s injuries. This can provide clarity, and it could also give you a strong witness who may support a birth injury legal claim further down the road.
- Assess the doctor’s history: You’d be surprised by how many medical professionals have been professionally reprimanded or suspended for inappropriate medical practices. By looking into a doctor’s past, you might be able to better show that a hospital failed to take action to ensure that it was hiring safe individuals to care for you and your child.
- Speak with a medical malpractice attorney: Experienced medical malpractice attorneys know what to look for when it comes to birth injuries. Law firms like ours have seen these situations more often than we’d like, which means that we know the common mistakes that hospitals and medical professionals make that lead to birth injuries. Additionally, we can help parents secure the records that they need to conduct a thorough assessment of the circumstances.
Seek the help you need to secure the accountability you deserve
No child should be harmed by the negligent and sometimes reckless practices of medical professionals. But the sad reality is that it happens all the time, leaving parents tasked with picking up the pieces. It can be a hard road for parents and their children, fraught with physical, emotional, and financial struggles. But there is hope that they can find accountability and recover the compensation that they need to provide their child with the treatment that they deserve. If you’d like to learn more about how to do that, then consider reaching out to a legal team that is adept at handling these types of cases.