Medical Mistake Leads to Infant Death
Posted in Medical Malpractice on October 24, 2013
The birth of a baby should be a joyous occasion. However, sometimes things do not go as planned.
Each pregnancy has its own challenges, such as health risks and the possibility of complications. Ideally, doctors and nurses should provide competent care, addressing issues as they arise and bringing the baby safely into the world. Unfortunately, health care professionals can make mistakes, placing mothers and their vulnerable infants at risk.
Such was the case for one of our clients. In her ninth month, she was brought to the hospital after going into labor but was told by her doctor that she wasn’t ready yet. He assured her everything would be okay and sent her home with a fetal monitor in place. Yet, when the doctor went home, he inexplicably ordered the fetal monitor to be turned off and the baby died that very night. Had the fetal monitor been turned on, it would have alerted medical staff to the situation.
Birth injury cases
Through the use of expert testimony and diligent preparation, we were able to prove that the doctor failed to provide an acceptable standard of care, not only for the baby, but also for the mother. He put them both at risk and in the end, this family lost their child due to the doctor’s negligence and carelessness. While no amount of money can fully compensate a family for the loss of their child, we were able to help this young couple achieve financial security so they can focus on recovering. Aside from restitution, jury awards and settlements serve another purpose: they put doctors and hospitals on notice, allowing them to learn from their mistakes in order to spare other families the same heartache.
In addition to inadequate fetal monitoring, causes of birth injuries may also include inadequate prenatal or postnatal care, mistakes made during birth, or reactions to drugs taken during pregnancy. Injuries to the mother or baby may be caused by the medical mistakes of physicians, nurses, health care facilities, or other medical care service providers. For more information, contact a Columbus birth injury lawyer today.
To learn more about personal injury law, I encourage you to watch the video above, read our blog, or explore our educational website at www.elkandelk.com. If you have legal questions, please call us at 1-800-ELK-OHIO. I welcome your call.