What To Do When You Or Your Newborn Suffered A Birth Injury

As a new parent, knowing that your newborn child has faced any injuries during birth could quickly turn your life upside down. There’s nothing worse than hearing that the baby you’ve been waiting to see for nine months is hurt in any way,  especially if the injuries were caused due to the negligence or lack of responsibility by the doctors who delivered your child. No matter how bad the situation is, you have to be prepared and know what to do if you or your baby are injured during delivery. This article will walk you through the necessary steps you need to take if you or your baby have been hurt during childbirth. 

Look For Medical Assistance 

The first and most important thing to do if you or your child are injured is to seek medical attention. Don’t think about anything else, and don’t distract yourself from fighting with doctors. Just make sure that both of you get immediate medical attention. Some birth injuries and issues will present themselves immediately after their occurrence and will be treated accordingly. 

However, other injuries will not present visible symptoms right after birth. The parents might not know that their child has suffered an injury or if the mother is suffering from any hidden ailments. The best thing to do is to seek medical help as soon as the injury is brought to your attention or if you suspect that something is wrong. 

Hire An Attorney

After you or your child have received the needed medical attention, you need to start considering your legal options.  That’s when you should contact an experienced attorney to handle the negligence claim for you. Suppose you or your child have suffered a brain injury. In that case, you must contact a locally-based attorney right away, especially if you live in Indianapolis or any other city where medical cases are particularly hard to win. This, according to Baker & Gilchrist, is absolutely important because doctors and physicians who fail to provide the minimum standard level of prenatal or postnatal care should be held responsible. An attorney would investigate the case and prove if the physicians’ negligence or malpractice caused the injury. They will also be able to protect your rights and get you the compensation you and your child deserve.

Evaluate the Situation Calmly

It’s completely normal to panic when hearing such bad news about your child’s health or if you find yourself feeling unwell after giving birth. Usually, expectant mothers trust their obstetricians and wouldn’t expect any mistakes from their side. While it can be challenging, you must try to stay calm when you learn about your child’s injury and avoid talking to your doctors. This is to protect yourself from taking responsibility for the situation unknowingly. Seeking legal advice and hiring an attorney before talking to the doctors will ensure your rights as the victim. 

If you notice any abnormalities with your child after their delivery or that you are not recovering the way you should be, make sure to seek immediate medical attention and contact your attorney right away. Your doctors may label some injuries as unpreventable, meaning that nothing could have been done to prevent them. Sometimes they claim that only to avoid taking responsibility for the mistakes that occurred during delivery. This is why it is important always to seek legal help when dealing with an injury like this.