Bronx Failure to Monitor Mother Injury

While pregnancy is a natural process, there are many, many things that can go wrong. When something does go wrong, the result could be harmful to the mother or a catastrophic birth injury for the baby. However, with careful monitoring through the pregnancy, many problems that could but the mother or baby at risk can be avoided or minimized. Sadly, each year in New York serious birth injuries occur that could have been avoided with careful monitoring. For example, a baby may suffer a brain injury, neck injury, shoulder dystocia, birth hypoxia, a spinal cord injury, seizures, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, or some other type of injury if the mother suffers from an unchecked medical problem. If you or your baby suffered a serious injury as a result of a failure of health care professionals to timely perform a c-section, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced Bronx failure to monitor mother injury lawyer who will help you pursue compensation for your injuries and your child’s injuries through a medical malpractice lawsuit.

There are a number of problems that a woman could potentially experience during pregnancy. For example, common pregnancy complications include:

• Gestational diabetes
• Pre-eclampsia
• Heart problems
• Placental eruptions
• Preterm labor
• Infections
• Cervical problems

Signs that there may be a problem include blood pressure changes, excessive bleeding, respiratory problems, dehydration, exhaustion, infection, and changes in blood sugar level. Careful monitoring and diagnosis of complications or potential complications can allow the medical staff to take steps to ensure the health of both the mother and the baby. For example, because of a complication the doctor may determine that it would be best to immediately deliver the baby through a c-section, or to induce labor.

In some cases the mother presents risk factors for certain complications. In such cases it is even more important for the doctor to monitor the mother for signs of those complications. For example, pregnant women who have a history of high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease or are obese are at a greater risk for pre-eclampsia. Women who have a history of high blood pressure, abdominal, or blood-clotting disorders are at greater risk of placental eruptions.

Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional such as an obstetrician, labor and delivery nurse, or other healthcare professional or facility fails to take reasonable care and as a result the patient suffers an injury. Thus, if a doctor fails to properly monitor you and as a result you or your baby is injured, New York law allows you to hold that doctor and other medical professionals legally and financially liable.

Medical expenses. The negligent party may be required to compensate you for your medical bills. The medical expenses portion of damages should include every medical expense that you incurred over the course of receiving treatment as well as future medical expenses. Examples of compensable medical expenses include emergency room treatment, hospital stays, visits to your doctor, rehabilitation, nursing home expenses, medical equipment and prescriptions.

Lost income. If as a result of your injury you end up missing a work, your damages could include compensation for the income you lost. If you took vacation days or sick time, you should be compensated for the loss of those days. If you are permanently unable to work due to the injury, then you can demand compensation for the lost income that you would have made over the course of your lifetime. Similarly, if medical mistake resulted in you being disabled in some way that will reduce your future ability to earn a living, you can be compensated for the reduction in earning potential.

Pain and suffering. The court may also award damages based on the physical and mental anguish you experienced from your injuries and recovery.

Wrongful death lawsuit. If a relative died because a medical professional failed to properly monitor her pregnancy, you may be entitled to receive compensation for medical expenses, the decedent's pain and suffering and lost wages. In addition, compensation may be awarded for loss of consortium.

If you suspect that you or your baby was injured because your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional failed to properly monitor you, do not hesitate to immediately contact an experienced New York birth injury attorney. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is experienced in successfully representing clients who have suffered injuries due to mistakes made by medical professionals, as well as those injured in car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents, and other types of accidents. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.