Birth Injuries Attorneys in St. Louis, Missouri
At The Gogel Law Firm, our birth injury attorney in St. Louis, Missouri understand that delivering a baby has its share of risks, which can lead to the mother experiencing anxiety and stress as she enters the final stages of her pregnancy.
When the mother or child is in distress during delivery, it is up to the medical staff to meet those challenges with professionalism, care, and medical solutions, not negligent practices that can leave the mother, baby, or both, injured.
The Centers for Disease Control listed that there were over 3.7 million births in the U.S. last year, and that an estimated seven out of 1,000 resulted in injury, averaging 28,000 birth injuries each year.
Our St. Louis medical malpractice attorney and law firm founder, Jeremy A. Gogel, knows first-hand how challenging it can be for both mother and baby to fully recover from these injuries, and that the long-term medical needs most birth injuries require can be physically, emotionally, and financially overwhelming for any family.
We can help give you the time you need to focus on your and the baby’s well-being while we craft a customized legal solution that will allow you to hold the physician, staff, or facility liable for the injuries they have caused.
What are the Most Common Types of Birth Injuries in St. Louis, Missouri?
Any damage sustained during the birthing process is, by definition, a birth injury.
The most common types of birth injuries can include, but are not limited to:
- Lacerations, scratching, or scarring
- Bruising and forceps marks
- Bone fractures
- Intracranial hemorrhage
- Facial paralysis
- Brachial Plexus Palsy, also known as Erb’s Palsy
- Perinatal asphyxia
- Oxygen deprivation
- Head and Neck Injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Brain injury and/or damage
- Nerve damage
- Caput Succedaneum
- Cerebral palsy
- Cephalohematoma
- Paralysis
- Subconjunctival hemorrhage
An injury during childbirth can cause life-changing complications to the health of the mother, the baby, or both, which may require lifelong medical care, at-home adjustments, and additional resources many families cannot afford on their own.
Our birth injury attorneys in St. Louis provide clear legal solutions that allow parents to pursue the financial recovery they are entitled to after medical negligence has changed their lives.
What are the Most Common Causes of Birth Injuries in St. Louis, Missouri?
While technological advances have helped reduce the number of birth injuries in the U.S., the overall problem is far from solved.
Certainly, the lack of quality healthcare and maternal nutrition plays a significant role in birth injury rates, which essentially translates to higher birth injury rates in low-income and rural communities.
However, an overwhelming percentage of birth injuries are still caused by medical malpractice.
Common causes of birth injuries caused by medical malpractice may include:
- Cesarean section delivery due to lack of progress
- Contractions stopped or slowed
- Difficult labor
- Epidural anesthetic
- Fetal anomalies
- Improper use of forceps or vacuums
- Inadequate staff and unavailability of physicians
- Induction or acceleration of labor through medication
- Insufficient Fetal Monitoring
- Lack of Staff Competency
- Miscommunication between the medical staff
- Poor labor and delivery management
- Prolonged labor
- Rapid labor
Physical trauma or failure to monitor the mother or infant during pregnancy can lead to serious birth injuries with lifelong symptoms and expensive treatment regimens that change our residents’ lives forever.
Our St. Louis birth injury attorneys want to help you and your family pursue the financial recovery you are entitled to for these medical errors, so you can move forward with confidence.
At The Gogel Law Firm, Our Medical Malpractice Lawyers in St. Louis, MO Focuses On The Following Practice Areas:
- Anesthesia Error
- Delayed Diagnosis
- Emergency Room Case
- Failure To Diagnose Cancer
- Failure To Diagnose Stroke
- Hospital Negligence
- Opioid Death
- Surgical Errors
Contact Our Skilled Birth Injury Attorneys in St. Louis at the Gogel Law Firm Today to Schedule a Free Consultation
If you have been hurt during childbirth, or if your baby has suffered injuries caused by medical malpractice, contact our experienced personal injury attorneys in St. Louis, Missouri today to schedule a free consultation by calling (314) 370-8173 or contact us online to have one of our skilled lawyers call you.
Frequently Asked Questions for Our Birth Injury Attorneys in St. Louis, Missouri
Are All Birth Injuries Caused by Medical Malpractice in Missouri?
The short answer is no.
Not all birth injuries are the result of medical malpractice.
Some are the result of developmental abnormalities or environmental factors that physicians have no control over.
However, a large percentage of birth injuries are directly caused by medical errors or negligent care. If you have been injured during your pregnancy, labor, or delivery, and believe your physician, their staff, or the facility in which you received medical care was negligent, contact our experienced St. Louis birth injury attorney today to discuss your case during a free consultation.
What is the Difference Between a Birth Injury and a Birth Defect?
Healthcare providers are legally obligated to notify parents of any apparent birth defects, disabilities, or developmental abnormalities that are identified during the pregnancy.
If the reports from your pregnancy have not indicated any type of birth defect or other abnormality, an unexpected injury or sudden disability may be a sign that a birth injury occurred.
Keep in mind, birth injuries are not always apparent right away. Your pediatrician is in the best position to diagnose a birth injury vs. a birth defect, so you can make an informed decision about pursuing your medical provider for malpractice.
How Do I Know If My Baby’s Injury Was Caused by a Medical Provider?
When someone is physically or developmentally wrong at birth, many parent’s first instincts is to protect their child and learn everything they can about their condition. Admitting their child’s injury is the result of a mistake by the physicians or hospital staff during delivery is a difficult accusation, but it may be an accurate one, as medical negligence is one of the most common reasons babies suffer birth injuries.
If you believe your child was injured during your pregnancy, labor, or delivery because of medical negligence, contact our experienced personal injury attorney in St. Louis today to discuss your unique circumstances during a free consultation.
Related Link:
