Births by Cesarean section (commonly referred to as C-sections) make up approximately 20 percent of births in the United States, and this number is climbing. While most doctors are competent in performing this type of procedure, mistakes can happen when doctors are negligent or unskilled.
What is a C-Section? Why is it Necessary?
When a mother is unable to give birth to her baby naturally, a surgical procedure called a C-section becomes necessary for safe delivery. During the procedure, an incision is made in the abdomen and the wall of the uterus to extract the baby.
While the procedure is considered safe, it is not without risks. Errors during a C-section can not only result in a number of complications for the mother, including nerve damage, internal bleeding, heart or lung complications, infections, or lacerated bowels, but they can also affect the baby if the procedure is not handled correctly. If a doctor does not perform the operation skillfully, the child could suffer from lacerations, oxygen deprivation leading to brain damage, and more.
Other issues that could arise include C-sections that are not carried out in a timely manner. Doctors who fail to identify signs of fetal distress, like fluctuating blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, or entanglement in the umbilical cord, or signs that the mother is not able to progress with a natural birth, can put both at risk of serious injury or death. If a doctor fails to order a necessary C-section and the child or mother is harmed as a result, this could be grounds for a medical malpractice claim.
Is Your Child’s Injury the Result of Medical Malpractice?
If your child was injured by either a doctor’s failure to order a necessary C-section or through a C-section that was not performed correctly, you have the right to pursue financial compensation. It is in your best interests to call a Chicago birth injury lawyer from Beam Legal Team as soon as possible to begin investigating your case. Our lawyers can help you determine who can be held liable and what your best option for legal recourse may be.
Since birth injuries can have long lasting consequences for the health of your child, you deserve to be provided with the financial resources you need to pay for the costs of their care and continued wellbeing. To learn more about what you may stand to gain from a medical malpractice claim, please call Beam Legal Team today for a free consultation: (866) 766-3806.