Birth Injury Lawyer Ottawa

Servicing Ottawa and all of Ontario

It’s one of the most exciting moments during a visit to your obstetrician’s office in the Ottawa area – the first time an expectant mother-to-be hears her baby’s heartbeat. For some, listening to rhythmic sound picked up by the fetal Doppler helps to foster the sense of connection. For others, who still believe in old wives’ tales, knowing the heart rate will help them learn if they are carrying a boy or a girl.

But for doctors and other medical professionals, monitoring the fetal heart rate is an important method of determining a mother’s health and whether her baby may be in distress. Fetal tachycardia, an abnormal increase in the fetal heart rate is variously defined as being over 160-180 beats per minute (bpm) or between 170 and 220 bpm.

The fetal heart rate changes during the course of the pregnancy and identifying this type of abnormality is essential for determining the proper course of care. Fetal tachycardia is associated with hyperthyroidism and systemic infection in a mother, and in utero infection, in utero hypoxia, fetal anaemia and chromosomal anomalies in a fetus. In some cases, a doctor’s negligence or inaction after identifying fetal tachycardia can contribute to an infant sustaining significant birth injuries leading to lifelong disability, or even death.

Common Birth Injuries

If a medical provider breaches standards of care before, during or after a delivery due to negligence and serious harm is caused to a mother or infant, it’s called obstetrical malpractice. Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis and treatment of fetal tachycardias are one of the ways obstetrical malpractice may cause birth injuries that can forever change a life.

Other common birth injuries include: perinatal asphyxia, anoxia or hypoxia (dealing the the deprivation or absence of oxygen to fetal tissue), meconium aspiration (a baby ingests amniotic fluids containing fetal fecal matter in its lungs), placental insufficiency (a disruption prevents the fetus from receiving oxygen and nutrients from the placenta), shoulder dystocia and brachial palsies (injuries to the brachial plexus that cause temporary or permanent nerve damage), spinal cord injuries, broken bones, scarring and bruising, brain injuries and disorders such as cerebral palsy.

Sadly, despite a medical provider’s best efforts to adhere to standards of care and procedures, sometimes a birth injury is unavoidable But in cases where demonstrated negligence contributes to an adverse, but preventable, outcome, an injured infant or its family may be entitled to compensation.

We Can Help When You’ve Been Hurt

If you, your child, or your loved one has experienced serious harm from the negligent actions of a medical professional providing obstetrical care or assisting in a delivery, Howie, Sacks and Henry’s birth injury lawyers can help you in Ottawa.

Recognized as one of Canada’s top personal injury firms, HSH birth injury lawyers have developed the skills, knowledge and expertise to handle even the most complex and challenging obstetrical malpractice cases.

An HSH birth injury lawyer is available to meet with you in your own home in the Ottawa area or at a nearby consultation office. We want to ensure distance or ability to travel is never an barrier to high quality legal representation. As a member of our team listens to your story, we can help to advise you of your legal options, facilitate testing and evaluations that will bolster your claim, and answer questions you may have about this process.

Coming to terms with a serious birth injury can be a difficult and long-term process. HSH birth injury lawyers understand the necessity of treating our clients with the care and kindness that acknowledges the trauma they have experienced and supports them on their journey towards recovery and healing. At HSH, we strive to ensure you know that you are always more than a case to us – you a person in need of a trusted advocate who demonstrates compassion and respect in every interaction with you.

In a time of great sadness or anger at the loss you or a loved one has experienced, trust the team at Howie, Sacks and Henry to be on your side and by your side in Ottawa. Together, we will seek the financial resources and compensation you need to heal and face the challenges ahead with confidence.