New York Delivery Negligence

While pregnancy, labor, and delivery are natural processes, they are also complicated and dangerous processes. There are many things that can go wrong, putting both the mother and baby in jeopardy. When something does go wrong because of medical negligence and as a result the mother or baby suffers a serious injury, the family is emotionally traumatized. As experienced New York delivery negligence attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates, we have seen far too many cases of newborn babies suffering from brain damage, skull fractures, and other serious birth injuries because the obstetrician was careless. In many of these cases the babies injuries were permanent and as a result the child needed lifelong care. If your baby sustained an injury during delivery that you believe was caused by medical negligence, we are here to help.

• Missing signs of fetal distress. It is up to doctors to properly monitor the mother and baby during labor and delivery, particularly if there are risk factors that indicate complications are possible. If the baby shows signs of distress, it is up to the medical professionals to quickly assess the situation and take steps to ensure the safety of the baby and mother. Oftentimes if the baby is in distress, it is imperative that the baby is delivery by emergency c-section. Failure to do so would likely be medical malpractice ad can lead to the baby suffering a brain injury.
• Negligent administration of medication. Another area of common medical mistakes is related to administering medication during labor and delivery. For example, it is imperative that a doctor test to see if the mother is carrying Group B Strep bacteria as it can be passed to the baby during delivery. If the mother does have it, the doctor should give her antibiotics. Another medication that is sometime associated with negligence is Pitocin. Pitocin is used to induce labor and stimulate contractions. However, Pitocin can lead to too frequent contracts that re dangerous for the baby. If a doctor deems it necessary to give the mother Pitocin, the doctor must monitor her closely for dangerous complications. If you feel that your baby was injured because of the negligent administration of medication, discuss what happened with a New York delivery negligence lawyer.
• Negligent use of forceps. Forceps are a type of delivery tool that is used to help guide a baby through the birth canal. They are used when birth is progressing slow or the baby is “stuck.” However, there is a protocol associated with using forceps, and they must be used with care. Failure to do so can result in the baby suffering lacerations, skull fracture, brain damage, or a spinal cord injury.

As a delivery negligence doctor in New York will explain, doctors owe a duty of care to their patients. This means that they are required by law to use the same degree of care and skill that an average doctor would provide under the same circumstances. This standard applies not only to obstetricians and other medical doctors, but to nurses and other medical professionals charged with caring for patients. For example, if your doctor chose to perform a vaginal delivery of your baby that was over 9 pounds, but it well-settled that a competent doctor would have chosen to delivery by c-section, if as a result of the vaginal delivery the baby was seriously injured, then it is likely that your doctor would have been negligent and liable for those injuries.

If you doctor’s negligence caused serious injuries, you have the right to demand compensation. For example, if due to your doctor’s actions your suffered a brain injury and as a result has cerebral palsy, your child will have substantial medical bills for his or her entire life. In fact, the lifetime medical costs related to treating cerebral palsy can be over $1 million. You can also demand payment for your child’s loss of future earning potential and loss of quality of life.

If you believe your injury or your baby’s injury during delivery was caused by medical negligence, it is critical that you have experienced representation. The delivery negligence attorneys serving New York at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates has decades of experience and will use our knowledge and resources to help you determine who was at fault. 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.