by Ryan Hodge hodgelaw@kansaslaw.com

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Personal Injury Lawyer

Birthing Injuries

New parents expect their lives to be dramatically changed with the birth of their new baby. However, they don’t expect it to be dramatically changed for the worse as the result of a birth injury. When this happens, seeking compensation to help your child receive the best care possible is important.

A medical malpractice case involving birth injury takes an experienced personal injury attorney because it must be proved that a birth injury took place and what the direct cause of the injury was. As with any case, evidence is the foundation. It requires quick action to preserve what evidence of the injury there is.

Birth Injury Evidence

Finding evidence for your medical malpractice case can often be found in medical records. Keep copies of your medical documents for possible use during your lawsuit. Examples include:

• Cord Blood Gases – Following birth, the placenta and umbilical cord contain blood that can prove injury to the child. The blood can prove the baby’s status in the moments leading up to birth with the oxygen and carbon dioxide left in the blood.
• Irregular Heart Beat – Before and during birth, the heart beat of both mother and baby should be closely monitored. If the heart beat suddenly alters or drops dangerously low, serious trauma can result.
• Fetal Distress – The baby is often harmed while still in the womb, such as a lack of oxygen. When this happens, serious injury can occur and the doctor can be held responsible if records prove the doctor did nothing during the time of fetal distress.

Birth Injury Signs

Birth injuries are not always immediately obvious. As such, it’s important that parents are aware of common birth injury signs. Seek medical care immediately if your child shows any of these signs:

• Excessive Time for Delivery – Some deliveries take longer than others, but doctors have a time table to follow. If the doctor waits too long to take action during a prolonged delivery, the baby could suffer brain damage from a lack of oxygen. Medical documents of the delivery will show when each action took place.
• Visible Trauma – Although internal trauma can be more worrisome, external trauma is just as serious. Any cuts or bruises, as well as improper use of limbs, can be detrimental to the baby’s health.
• Prolonged Recovery Time – Keeping track of your child’s recovery time is extremely important. Seeking legal settlement before the healing is complete could undermine your case. If the child never fully recovers, you may end up settling for an amount that doesn’t cover enough medical expenses to take care of the child properly.

If your child has shown any of these signs, even the seemingly less important signs, it could be a sign of a bigger problem. If you believe your child has been injured during birth, seek legal advice immediately.

At Ray Hodge & Associates, we believe in personal injury handled personally. At our office you see a lawyer from the very first meeting because we believe your case deserves an experienced personal injury attorney right from the start.

If you have had a Kansas medical malpractice injury that was not your fault and need medical treatment, you need an experienced professional who can help you get back on the road to recovery. Call us today at 316-269-1414 or visit our contact page here. Our Kansas personal injury attorneys will provide you a free initial consultation and if we take your case you don’t pay a dime unless we recover money for you. Even then we only take a percentage of the total amount of your recovery.

If you have questions on what you should be looking for when you are making a decision to hire a Kansas personal injury lawyer, read our article located here.

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