Queens Failure to Respond to Medical Problems in the Mother

Pregnancy and childbirth are complicated. Because there are several things that could go wrong, it is imperative that the mother receive proper healthcare during pregnancy. If the doctor fails to diagnose and properly treat medical problems in the mother, the mother could suffer from a serious injury. Furthermore, an untreated or improperly treated ailment in the mother is likely to affect the baby as well, possibly resulting in a catastrophic birth injury. While in some cases problems arise during pregnancy, labor and delivery because the mother had pre-existing risk factors such as high blood pressure, if such problems are appropriately managed harm to the possibility of harm to the baby would be minimized. Unfortunately, each year in New York serious and often permanent medical problems 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. Under New York law victims of negligent medical professionals have the right to seek damages for their losses. If you or your baby suffered a serious injury as a result of a failure of health care professionals to monitor your medical problems, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced Queens birth injury lawyer who will help you pursue compensation for your injuries and your child’s injuries through a medical malpractice lawsuit.

If a pregnant woman has medical problems before her pregnancy or developed medical problems during her pregnancy, it is incumbent upon the health care workers caring for her to monitor those problems and treat them appropriately. Common medical problems that should be closely monitored include:

• High blood pressure. High blood pressure is associated with preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is quite serious and can be fatal.
• Anemia. Low iron is associated with low birth weight and preterm birth.
• Diabetes. Gestational diabetes is associated with a high birth weight and other complications.
• Cardiac problems. Pregnancy puts additional pressure on the circulatory system. If you have a pre-existing heart condition your pregnancy is high risk and your doctors must monitor you carefully.

Other conditions in the mother than need to be closely monitored include blood-clotting disorders, substance abuse, abdominal trauma, kidney disease, obesity, and infections.

Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional such as an obstetrician, nurse, or other health care professional fails to take reasonable care and as a result the patient suffers an injury. Thus, if your doctor failed to appropriately monitor and treat your medical condition and as a result you or your baby were injured, New York law allows you to hold that doctor legally and financially liable. It is important to understand that medical malpractice claims may be filed against not only doctors, but against any medical professional or entity that was responsible for the negligent care you received. Medical professionals who may be held accountable include:

• Obstetricians
• Gynecologists
• Emergency room staff
• Pediatricians
• Neurologists
• Anesthesiologists
• Nurses
• Laboratories where tests were taken for analysis
• Hospitals
• Midwives

Both you and your child may pursue compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity and pain and suffering. If your baby passed away due to negligence on the part of a medical professional, you have the right to file a wrongful death claim.

If you suspect that you or your baby was injured because your doctor, nurse, or other health care professional failed to respond to your medical problems, 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.