Birth Injury Lawyer Cambridge

Servicing Cambridge and all of Ontario

When you give birth and see your child for the first time, you hope to see a healthy glow and good colour as they’re taking their first few breaths. But should you be concerned if after a few days you notice that your newborn’s skin and eyes have taken on a yellowish tinge? Possibly.

Jaundice (a condition that causes their yellow colouring) affects about three in five babies who are carried to term and up to 80 percent of babies born prematurely. It’s caused when bilirubin (old red blood cell waste) cannot be processed by a newborn’s still-developing liver quickly and efficiently.

Fortunately, in most cases, the baby’s liver will be able to clear these excess levels within two to three weeks with little or no intervention. However, in some cases, severe and untreated jaundice can lead to kernicterus – a neurotoxic condition that can cause brain damage, cerebral palsy or deafness. It’s important for medical practitioners to monitor newborns for signs of jaundice and worsening symptoms to ensure timely treatment.

If a medical provider’s negligence or incompetence breaches standards of care and the newborn suffers serious harm as a result, it’s called obstetrical malpractice – it can be a costly mistake for everyone involved.

Obstetrical Malpractice and Preventable Birth Injuries

Obstetrical malpractice can cause or contribute to a preventable birth injury at any point during a pregnancy and in the period immediately following a birth. Some examples of obstetrical malpractice include:

Failing to properly administer or analyze standard screenings for conditions such as spina bifida (when vertebrae do not completely enclose around a spinal column)
Faulty tests
Substandard monitoring of maternal and fetal health or poor management of maternal medications
Using excessive force during an extraction or poor technique with tools (forceps, vacuums)
Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of a serious medical condition such as tachycardia (abnormally fast heart rate)

These and other negligent and incompetent actions or inaction may lead to preventable birth injuries that can cause debilitating pain, permanent disability or even death. Common birth injuries include:

brain damage and related conditions such as cerebral palsy from oxygen deprivation (asphyxia, anoxia, hypoxia), placental insufficiency, infection or head trauma
spinal cord injuries, brachial palsies (shoulder dystocia), and other nerve damage and fractures from birth trauma
meconium aspiration syndrome (when first fecal matter mixes with amniotic fluids and is ingested by the fetus or newborn).

We Help People Who Have Been Hurt

If obstetrical malpractice has caused you or a loved one pain, suffering and loss, the birth injury lawyers at Howie, Sacks and Henry are ready to help you in Cambridge. Consistently named one of Canada’s top personal injury firms, our knowledgeable, skilled and experienced birth injury lawyers have developed expertise in this complex area of law.

An HSH birth injury lawyer will be pleased to arrange a meeting with you in your own home in the Cambridge area or at a nearby consultation office. We believe that neither distance nor ability to travel should ever prevent you from access high quality legal representation.

With our reputation for client-centred care, you will always be more than a file to us. With compassion, kindness and attentive care, we’ll show you the respect and dignity you deserve. As we listen to your birth story with great empathy, we’ll take time to answer your questions, outline your options and advise you on a course of action. Moreover, the HSH team will facilitate the testing, evaluation and therapy sessions you’ll need for both your rehabilitation and your case.

No one can change the tragic circumstances of the past; but with an HSH birth injury lawyer on your side and by your side in Cambridge, you can start building hope for the future. Let us help you make a claim for the financial resources you deserve on the road to recovery.