Learning that your baby has suffered a severe injury during birth is a traumatizing experience for a parent. In many cases, a birth injury that resulted in an infant suffering broken bones could have been avoided if a doctor provided the infant with proper medical care. Unfortunately, some doctors may fail to act responsibly when delivering a child. If your child suffered a broken bone due to the negligent actions of a medical practitioner, consult with an experienced Baltimore birth injury attorney for infant broken bones as soon as possible.
At Bennett & Heyman, we understand the stress and uncertainty surrounding a severe birth injury, and we are dedicated to providing you with the legal representation that you need to hold a negligent doctor accountable for their actions. To schedule a free legal consultation to discuss your potential claim, contact Bennett & Heyman at (410) 429-7856. You may also contact the Baltimore law firm online.
Common Causes of Broken Bones in Infants
An infant is extremely fragile and vulnerable at the time of their birth. Doctors and other medical practitioners need to exercise caution when handling a child during delivery. Unfortunately, there are various scenarios where newborns suffer broken bones because a medical practitioner failed to perform their duties properly. The following is a list of common causes of infant broken bones during childbirth.
Negligent Use of Assisted Reproductive Technology
When a doctor determines that a mother could have a difficult or prolonged labor, they may decide that the use of assisted reproductive technology would be appropriate. The most common reproductive technology instruments used by doctors are forceps and vacuum extractors. Each of these instruments is used to attach to the head of the child to pull them from the womb.
If a doctor negligently uses forceps or vacuum extractors, they could seriously injure a newborn. For example, if a doctor incorrectly attaches the forceps to the child’s arm, they could cause a child to sustain a broken bone when pulling them from the womb.
Cephalopelvic Disproportion
Cephalopelvic disproportion occurs when a mother’s pelvis is too small to allow a child to fit through the birth canal. Alternatively, it could also occur because a child is larger than average and cannot fit through the birth canal.
If a doctor discovers that a child would be in danger when entering the birth canal, they should consider making plans to deliver the child via cesarean section. If a doctor does not recommend that a mother have a cesarean section, they could be held liable if a child becomes stuck in the birth canal and suffers a bone fracture.
Improper Administration of Birth-Assisting Drugs
If a mother is experiencing a difficult labor, a doctor may recommend the use of Pitocin. Pitocin is a drug that increases a mother’s contractions and makes it easier to deliver a child. However, if Pitocin is misused, a mother could have violent contractions that could be harmful to a child and could cause a severe injury like a broken bone.
Excessive Use of Force during Delivery
As mentioned, newborns must always be handled with care as they are very fragile. This means that a doctor should not excessively pull or tug on the limbs of a child when pulling them from the birth canal. Using too much force when extracting a child from the birth canal could result in broken bones and a number of other injuries.
There are various other scenarios where a newborn could suffer a bone fracture due to the negligence of a medical practitioner. If your child was injured in a different manner, our firm is here to evaluate your legal claim.
To learn more about filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor that caused your child’s injuries, you should continue reading and speak with an experienced Baltimore infant broken bones birth injury attorney.
Statute of Limitations for Medical Malpractice Cases for Infant Broken Bones in Baltimore, MD
The statute of limitations determines the amount of time that a potential plaintiff has to file a certain type of lawsuit with a court of law. Many people make the mistake of taking too long to file their case because they are unaware of the filing deadline for their case. As a result, a potential plaintiff could miss their window to file their lawsuit and could end up saddled with large medical bills and other expenses. Knowing the statute of limitations for your case will help you avoid this problem.
The statute of limitations for a medical malpractice lawsuit in Baltimore follows the state law: five years from the date of the injury. However, the filing deadline could be altered to three years if the injury was not discovered until a later date.
If you are concerned about how long you have to file your lawsuit, our firm is here to help manage your potential claim. We understand that an injury to a child is a lot to deal with, and we are here to alleviate your concerns.
Contact Our Experienced Baltimore Infant Broken Bones Injury Lawyer Today
If your newborn sustained a broken bone due to medical malpractice, consult with an experienced Baltimore infant broken bones injury attorney. At Bennett & Heyman, we are committed to pursuing negligent doctors and hospitals for severe injuries to newborns. Our medical malpractice attorneys have decades of combined legal experience, and we are ready to work with you. You do not have to fight your medical malpractice case alone. Contact Bennett & Heyman at (410) 429-7856 to schedule a free legal consultation. You may also contact the firm online.
