The parents of a 3-year-old boy have launched a medical malpractice suit against the Legacy Health System in Oregon for $35 million dollars. The family claims that the staff at the Legacy Emanuel Medical Center made grievous mistakes in their attempt at a water birth, which led to their child’s cerebral palsy.
For instance, the newborn was not delivered on time, which deprived the child of oxygen, ultimately resulting in cerebral palsy and hearing difficulties. Additionally, plaintiffs claim that the staff was inadequately trained to resuscitate the baby properly.
A prolonged, or traumatic delivery, often occurs because a baby’s head is too large to fit through the birth canal. The term for this is cephalopelvic disproportion. When this occurs, a C-section is often performed.
Prolonged deliveries, can lead to birth asphyxia, which is a common cause of cerebral palsy. There is some debate on whether or not the medical center should have performed a water birth when the high-risk pregnancy called for a C-section.
How Do Successful Birth Injury Cases Help Injured Children?
As with many children born with a birth injury, for the rest of his life, the little boy in our story is likely to need a lot more health care than an average child. Healthcare is expensive, and not everyone can afford to raise a child with a birth injury on his or her own. A birth injury lawsuit can help families recover the money they need to provide an injured child with the care he or she deserves.
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Farrell & Patel – Birth Injury Lawyers
