Florida Birth Injuries Sometimes Caused by Medical Errors
The birth of a baby is typically a joyful event for those who have waited approximately nine months for a child’s entrance into the world. Any woman, in Florida or elsewhere, who entrusts herself to the care of professional medical staff for the purpose of assisting in the labor and delivery of her child has the right to reasonably assume that the care provided will be given according to the highest levels of professional standards and safety procedures. When an infant suffers birth injuries believed to have been caused by medical negligence, parents sometimes choose to file legal claims against the party or parties deemed negligent.
In a case, the parents of a severely brain-injured infant have pursued legal action, seeking $27 million in damages against the hospitals and doctors who were involved in the child’s birth. The parents of the infant boy have asserted that the perinatal asphyxia their son suffered at birth was caused by substandard care on the part of numerous members of medical staff. The baby’s birth was reportedly induced after the mother had gone to the hospital showing signs that her cervix was preparing for birth even though she was not having labor contractions.
Reports further indicate that the baby’s birth was highly traumatic. He seems to have suffered from shoulder dystocia when his head exited the birth canal but the rest of his intact body failed to deliver. Multiple measures were reportedly taken to extract the rest of the infant and he is said to have suffered signs of severe distress, including respiratory failure, gray skin color, clinical sepsis and other symptoms which necessitated a transfer to a NICU for specialized care.
The parents in this case have asserted that the medical records kept throughout their son’s delivery are highly inaccurate; they have further alleged that they believe that some of the documents have been altered. Though this particular case occurred in Texas, Florida residents whose infants have suffered similar birth injuries due to alleged medical negligence are protected by law with the right to pursue legal action against those deemed responsible. Often, babies born with severe brain injuries need extensive, specialized care and assistance for their entire lives; this can amount to enormous financial debt for which parents might find some alleviation when a monetary judgment is ordered by the court in a successfully litigated case.
Source: injurylawyer-news.com, “Texas Parents File $27 Million Lawsuit over Brain Damage at Birth“, Dawn Snyder, Aug. 28, 2015
