One of the most exciting moments in the life of a Billings resident is the birth of a child. The anticipation of meeting a new life that one has waited months to see can be overwhelmingly joyful. While most women who experience labor and delivery leave their hospital stays with healthy newborns, others must endure the heartache and pain of learning that their new children have suffered birth injuries.
A birth injury is not the same thing as a birth defect. Defects are medical problems that manifest due to how the newborns developed in the womb. They are generally not the fault of medical professionals and may be caused by genetic abnormalities or other physical conditions.
A birth injury, however, is trauma that a newborn sustains as a result of how he was delivered. Birth injuries can be minor, such as small abrasions or superficial cuts from delivery equipment, or they may be major medical emergencies, such as oxygen deprivation during the labor and delivery process. In their most serious forms, birth injuries can be fatal to newborns.
Injuries during the labor and delivery process can occur in a number of ways. They can be associated with the use of certain pieces of equipment, such as forceps and vacuum suction. They can also result from deficient monitoring of an unborn child’s heart rate and oxygen intake. Different birth injuries can result from mistakes made during a traditional labor and delivery experience or a caesarian section birth.
Knowing if one has a medical malpractice case based on a birth injury can be challenging to understand. For that reason many individuals with birth injury questions choose to consult with attorneys who work in the personal injury field of law. Lawyers who include medical malpractice and birth injury litigation in their practices can help individuals assess the facts of their cases to determine what legal paths may serve their needs.
At Colton Holm Law Firm, we look forward to learning how we can help you resolve your legal concern.Call us today: (406) 259-9986