Maryland Umbilical Cord Birth Injury Lawyer
During pregnancy, labor, and delivery, a lot can go wrong with the baby. One serious issue is an umbilical cord injury. Babies rely on the umbilical cord for their nutrients so they can grow and thrive. It is the baby’s only connection to the placenta and the mother during pregnancy. When something happens to the umbilical cord, it can be a dire situation. It can cause lifelong complications and even death.
While sometimes umbilical cord injuries happen without negligence, there are cases in which
the injury could be caused by medical malpractice. Are you eligible to file a claim? Contact an umbilical cord birth injury lawyer from Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman to learn more about liability as well as the damages you may be eligible to receive.
Preventing Injury
In many cases, umbilical cord injuries are not caused by negligence. Many instances, however, are caused by failure to take action. The doctor or nurse may fail to identify or address the issue, leading to injuries. While doctors cannot prevent every umbilical cord injury, they can do their best to prevent them by closely monitoring the pregnancy, especially if the mother is at risk. The pregnancy should be monitored all the way up to labor and delivery.
An in-depth ultrasound can help with this. Ideally, the ultrasound should include a close examination of the umbilical cord. Along with routine monitoring, the doctor should be able to identify any problems with the cord and how it’s attached to the placenta and the baby.
Determining Liability
There are multiple parties who could be liable for an umbilical cord injury. They include the following:
- The doctor monitoring the pregnancy
- The doctor or nurse monitoring labor and delivery of the baby
- The medical office/practice associated with the doctor involved with the pregnancy and delivery
- The hospital where the baby was delivered
Umbilical cord injuries can occur in different ways, but not all involve medical malpractice. Filing a claim can be difficult. Medical malpractice claims are hard to prove, so it will be necessary to review the medical records regarding your baby’s care to determine what happened and who is liable.
A common issue is overlooking an issue during a routine pregnancy ultrasound, leading to a missed diagnosis. It is possible that the ultrasound technician may have incorrectly conducted the scan or overlooked signs of the problem. Misdiagnosis of the condition or failure to take action when there are complications can also lead to medical malpractice.
Contact Us Today
Umbilical cord injuries are not minor matters. Umbilical cords are what help babies develop. When they are injured, they can cause serious complications and even death for the baby.
Has your baby been affected by an umbilical cord injury caused by a doctor’s negligence? If so, seek legal help from the umbilical cord birth injury lawyers at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman. To schedule a free consultation with our office, call 410-998-3600 today.