Birth Injury Attorneys in Columbia, MO
Has Your Child Suffered a Birth Injury? Call DiPasquale Moore at (573) 444-8888.
Birth injuries are common not only in Missouri but throughout the United States, which is an unfortunate truth that countless families have had to reckon with. While some of these injuries are nobody’s fault, many of them could have been prevented had the attending medical professional been more attentive or proactive.How Do I Know If I Have a Birth Injury Claim?
When obstetricians, general practitioners, midwives, doulas, and other health care professionals on birth teams are negligent and cause children and parents injury, they can be held accountable through a legal claim. But it can be difficult for parents to discern whether negligence led to the birth injury, as the health care professional involved may not tell them — some of them even go so far as to execute a cover-up.Contact an Experienced Birth Injury Firm
Our Columbia birth injury attorneys at DiPasquale Moore are both qualified and prepared to investigate every aspect of your child’s prenatal care, labor, and delivery to determine whether malpractice had any hand in the injury. We will guide you down the path to justice, advocating for your and your child’s rights.Call (573) 444-8888 or contact us online today for a free consultation.
Common Birth Injuries
Sadly, there are a variety of birth injuries that may occur before, during, or directly after birth because (a) there are numerous things that can go wrong throughout the process of childbirth and (b) even top-rated medical professionals are prone to make mistakes. The most common preventable birth injuries include:- Bone fractures: When a medical professional is too rough with the child during delivery, the child can easily suffer bone fractures. Collarbone fractures are the most common.
- Intracranial hemorrhage: Also referred to as a “brain bleed,” an intracranial hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel ruptures and causes bleeding in the baby’s brain.
- Facial nerve injury: If a medical professional applies too much pressure to the child’s face while guiding them through the birth canal, they could damage their facial nerves. Partial or full facial paralysis may result.
- Cephalohematoma (CH): This is a condition in which blood pools between the skull and the scalp, resulting in a soft bulge on the child’s head. CH often heals on its own, but it can also lead to anemia, jaundice, and infection.
- Birth/perinatal/neonatal asphyxia: This is when a child suffers oxygen deprivation at any step of the birthing process. A lack of oxygen, even for a short amount of time, can easily lead to respiratory problems, kidney issues, blood clots, vision problems, trouble hearing, epilepsy, cerebral palsy (CP), hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and autism spectrum disorder, among other life-changing conditions.
- Brachial plexus injuries: The brachial plexus is the network of nerves in each shoulder that controls the movement of the arms and hands. It is easily injured during childbirth, particularly in cases of shoulder dystocia (when the child’s shoulder gets lodged above the mother’s pelvic bone). It can lead to brachial plexus palsy, Erb’s palsy, and more.
- C-section errors: Cesarean sections, or C-sections, can cause great harm to both the child and the mother, although the mother is at a higher risk of injury due to the nature of the operation. For example, the mother may experience the development of endometritis (inflammation of the uterus typically due to infection), blood clots, bladder injury, etc.
Types of Negligence Behind Birth Injuries
Examples of medical negligence that could lead to the above birth injuries include the use of faulty birthing tools and the misuse of forceps and vacuum extractors. Some other failures on the part of the attending health care providers that are considered negligent include but are not limited to the following:- Failure to perform a timely C-section
- Failure to accurately monitor labor
- Failure to address fetal distress
- Failure to prevent/remedy oxygen deprivation
- Failure to listen to the mother’s self-reported symptoms
When Should I Contact an Attorney for a Birth Injury Claim?
When it comes to any personal injury case, time is of the essence. The state of Missouri allows injured families two years from the date of the injury or its discovery to file a birth injury claim. If the child would like to bring forth a claim on their own behalf, it must be done before their 20th birthday. No matter which time limit applies to your case, it is better to start sooner rather than later so that your attorney team can thoroughly investigate the incident. As time passes, it may become harder to track down medical records/reports and speak to key witnesses. Don’t compromise your claim by waiting to get started.Begin with a Free Case Evaluation
Schedule a free consultation with the Columbia birth injury lawyers at DiPasquale Moore. With more than 100 years of combined experience, we have the resources and skills needed to effectively investigate and litigate your claim. We can assist you in proving that negligence was committed and relentlessly fight to recover the maximum amount of compensation you are owed for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, short- or long-term disability accommodations, and/or any other damages applicable to your case. We will not charge you a dime if we don’t win, so there is no financial risk to you.Call (573) 444-8888 or contact us online today for a free consultation.
