Washington DC Birth Injury Attorney

The birth of a child can and should be a joyful time – celebrating new life, welcoming a new member of a growing family, and looking ahead towards a limitless future. Sadly, complications during pregnancy, labor, and delivery can turn happiness into worry and celebration into heartbreak.

Birth injuries happen every day, impacting the lives of tens of thousands of families every year who must face the life-altering challenges of dealing permanent disabilities and other serious health problems. When a birth injury is the result of the negligence of doctors, nurses, or delivery room staff, the tragedy is made even worse.

The Washington DC birth injury attorneys at The Rich Firm, PC understand that families facing these difficulties need answers about what happened to their child and deserve compensation to help them move forward. We fight tirelessly on behalf of those whose lives have been upended by preventable birth injuries.

What Is a Birth Injury?
Any harm sustained by a baby during pregnancy, during labor or delivery, or just after a baby is born is a birth injury.

Pregnancy and childbirth always carry risks, and the kinds of injuries that a child can suffer during this crucial period are numerous. The most common birth injuries faced by families in the U.S. include:

• Cerebral Palsy
• Erb’s Palsy
• Brain Damage and Developmental Disabilities
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Hypoxia and Anoxia
• Shoulder Dystocia

Causes of Birth Injuries
Some birth injuries are caused by genetic abnormalities or other factors that are simply unpreventable. Other birth injuries can be prevented if the complications that could result in injury are discovered and treated in time.

Sometimes, errors by doctors and medical professionals in monitoring and caring for the mother and child are the direct cause of avoidable birth injuries.

Conditions that can lead to birth injuries include:

Birth Injuries Caused by Medical Malpractice
There is no doubt that doctors, nurses, and others who we trust and rely on when pregnant and delivering a child have difficult jobs. They literally hold lives in their hands, and have to make quick decisions and take decisive actions in pressure-filled situations.

But we rely on their extensive training and education, their judgment and experience, and their competence to take all reasonable steps necessary to protect the mothers and babies in their care.

When those steps are not taken, when poor judgment leads to bad decisions, and when improper actions fall below the acceptable standard of care, the family may have a medical malpractice claim for any birth injuries that result.

Some of the acts and decisions that can lead to birth injuries and claims for damages include:

• Failure to recognize and respond to fetal distress
• Failure to recognize and address preeclampsia
• Fetal heart rate monitoring errors
• Labor induction and Pitocin errors
• Failure to conduct an emergency C-section
• Misuse of forceps
• Misuse of vacuum extractor
• Failure to Treat Meningitis
• Improper prescription or administration of medication
• Failure to prevent and treat neonatal and postnatal infections
• Failure to address prolonged labor

The Rich Firm, PC: Legal Skill, Medical Knowledge, and a Tireless Commitment to Helping Victims of Birth Injuries
Acts of negligence that lead to birth injuries can leave families struggling with a lifetime of expenses, exhausting day-to-day challenges, and the trauma of knowing that the injuries could have been prevented.

Knowing whether an act of malpractice led to your child’s birth injury requires a full understanding of the medical issues involved. Holding doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals accountable for their mistakes requires experience, legal skill, and relentless commitment.

The Rich Firm, PC, birth injury attorneys serving Washington DC, has a lengthy and successful track record of getting justice and significant compensation for families living in the aftermath of a birth injury.

Several of our attorneys are also medical doctors who can in many cases very quickly evaluate whether your doctor was negligent, saving you the months and expenses normally associated with expert review of your case.

Speak With A Washington DC Birth Injury Attorney

For experienced and aggressive legal representation in the Maryland, Virginia, or Washington DC areas, please give our Washington DC birth injury lawyers a call at 888-RICH-LAW (742-4529) to set up your free consultation or contact us online. We look forward to assisting you.