Birth injuries can be heartbreaking for families in New Mexico. Affecting mothers, babies or both, birth injuries make what should be a joyous time difficult and painful. Some birth injuries can occur naturally. This is especially true if there’s a circumstance like an unusually large baby or if the mother is outside a healthy weight range. However, there are also circumstances in which birth injuries happen because the medical staff was negligent.
Medical malpractice and birth injuries
True accidents happen in every medical specialty. Sometimes, they simply can’t be avoided. But there are cases in which the medical staff involved have made clear errors. In those situations, it may be possible to hold them accountable for medical malpractice. An award of damages in a birth injury malpractice case can help cover additional medical bills resulting from the injury, replace lost wages and possibly even set up a trust for the affected baby.
Some birth injuries that can be caused by the staff delivering the baby include things like facial paralysis. This occurs when pressure is exerted on the baby’s face during delivery. It may be particularly likely if forceps are used during birth. Other injuries that may be related to forceps include bruising.
Cerebral palsy is another birth injury that can occur. This can be related to a lack of oxygen to the baby during delivery. At times, this can be attributed to negligence on the part of the medical staff. Some cases of this condition occur naturally, however, due to things like a detached placenta.
The people of New Mexico deserve top-notch medical care. That’s particularly true where babies and expecting mothers are concerned. They’re some of our most vulnerable residents, and their trust should be rewarded with expert care.
