When preparing for the delivery of a child, a family expects that a doctor will treat the mother and child with the care they deserve. However, there are many deliveries that can go wrong due to the actions of a negligent doctor. If your child developed infant dystonia due to the negligence of a medical practitioner, you should consult with an experienced Maryland birth injury attorney for infant dystonia disorder.
At Bennett & Heyman, we are ready to offer you the legal representation that you deserve to manage your birth injury case. When delivering a child, you should never have to worry that your doctor may commit an act that will endanger the health of your child. To schedule a free legal consultation to discuss the details of your case, you should contact Bennett & Heyman at (410) 429-7856. You may also contact the firm online.
Causes of Infant Dystonia Disorder Birth Injuries in Maryland
Infant dystonia disorder is a medical condition that affects the muscles of a child, causing awkward or involuntary movements. It is important to note that infant dystonia disorder means that a child does not have proper communication between their brain and the nerves in their body. For example, a child experiencing infant dystonia disorder may have issues with walking and other basic tasks.
There are some circumstances where infant dystonia disorder could be caused by genetics. However, it is also possible for infant dystonia disorder to be the result of a birth injury.
One of the most common causes of infant dystonia disorder is a lack of oxygen during delivery, also known as hypoxia. An infant suffering from hypoxia can be the fault of a medical practitioner because they should be aware of the status of the child during delivery. For example, if a child is in breech presentation prior to delivery, a doctor should consider alternative options as the child could suffocate if they become trapped in the birth canal.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Infant Dystonia Disorder?
As mentioned, infant dystonia disorder is a condition that affects the muscles of an infant. An infant can experience a number of symptoms of dystonia disorder:
- Foot cramping
- Dragging a leg when walking
- Neck spasms
- Involuntary and frequent blinking
It is also important to note that these symptoms typically only happen on one side of the infant’s body. While there are some similarities, you should avoid confusing infant dystonia disorder with cerebral palsy.
There are other circumstances not discussed above that could lead to a child developing infant dystonia disorder. If you believe that your doctor or hospital is responsible for your child’s injuries, you should contact our Maryland birth injury attorneys and continue reading to learn more about your legal options for a birth injury lawsuit.
How to File a Maryland Birth Injury Lawsuit for Infant Dystonia Disorder
If your child was the victim of a birth injury and developed infant dystonia disorder in Maryland, you should consider filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against the people responsible. In a birth injury lawsuit, there could be multiple parties that are liable for your child’s injuries. Our firm can help you determine your legal options when preparing your potential case.
One party that could be held liable for your child’s injuries is the doctor who was in charge of delivery. A delivery doctor should understand when there is a risk to an infant and should act appropriately to handle the issue. Unfortunately, a doctor may not appreciate the risk to a child and may continue with the delivery.
It is also possible that the hospital where you gave birth could be held vicariously liable for the doctor’s actions. Specifically, if a doctor acted negligently when delivering a child while they were employed by the hospital, the doctor’s negligent actions would be imputed to their employer.
Note, however, that some hospitals may employ certain doctors as independent contractors. This allows the hospital to avoid liability for the negligent actions of a doctor.
Under some circumstances, the nurses that attended to the newborn could also be held liable if they acted negligently.
There are multiple steps required to prove that your doctor acted negligently. One of the first steps is proving that you had a doctor-patient relationship with the doctor. You must also show that the doctor did not uphold the standard of care that is common within their field. Finally, you must also specifically show how the doctor acted negligently. For example, if the doctor did not present the option for a cesarean section when they should have, this could be used as evidence.
Our firm is here to help you seek the compensation you deserve if your child was a victim of medical malpractice or birth injury causing infant dystonia disorders in Maryland.
Work with Our Experienced Maryland Lawyer for Infant Dystonia Disorder Caused by Birth Injury
If your child sustained an injury at birth due to medical malpractice that caused an infant dystonia disorder, you should consult with an experienced Maryland birth injury lawyer for infant dystonia disorder. The legal team at Bennett & Heyman has worked on a variety of birth injury cases, and we would like to use our legal skills to represent you. We understand that an injury to a newborn can be a difficult issue to manage, and we are here for you. To schedule a free legal consultation to discuss your potential case, contact a Baltimore birth injury lawyer at Bennett & Heyman at (410) 429-7856. You may also contact the firm online.
