The birth of a baby is meant to be a joyous occasion. However, across the United States, the growing incidence of birth injuries is inciting fear in expectant parents. Given the medical advances made in this nation over the past century, this trend is particularly alarming. The increasing number of birth injury-related medical malpractice incidents can often be attributed to the following circumstances:
The Attending Physician Was Not Familiar with the Patient’s History
Though many women take a great amount of time and energy in selecting an obstetrician, that physician may not be the person delivering the baby. Oftentimes, obstetricians are not available when their patients go into labor. They may be out of town, not on call, or already attending to another patient. No matter the reason, the expecting mother is left with a physician who is not familiar with her personal medical history. If that patient has been experiencing pregnancy complications, an uninformed obstetrician may administer a procedure that harms the mother and child.
Attending Healthcare Providers Did Not Provide Adequate Time
Too often, patients must turn to a personal injury lawyer because their physician did not take adequate time to attend to their medical needs and, as a result, their child suffered a birth injury. Obstetricians are expected to handle more than one patient at a time. However, this means that they can rush through procedures and may administer them in a careless or negligent manner.
The Attending Physician Was Inexperienced
At times, the attending physician is simply not qualified to handle more complex medical issues. Any number of unexpected circumstances can arise during labor, and an inexperienced doctor may not be prepared. Rather than referring a patient to a more practiced obstetrician when complications arise, the physician may make an uneducated decision that results in a birth injury to a child.
Have You Been a Victim of Medical Malpractice?
If you've been injured in a medical malpractice case, you need to speak with an experienced medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Gaithersburg office directly at 301.840.0404 to schedule your free consultation.
