Birth Injury Lawyer Cobourg

Servicing Cobourg and all of Ontario

“You’re pregnant? Congratulations! When are you due?” It’s a line that often heard when pregnant women share their exciting news, or once the telltale baby bump becomes noticeable.

Obstetricians and others assisting with a pregnancy and birth are also keen to determine a baby’s due date. It becomes important when gauging the growth and development of the fetus, monitoring its heartbeat for abnormalities (such as sustained fetal tachycardia), and determining if and when labour should be induced.

If a medical provider is incompetent or neglectful or when making these kinds of judgments, it can have significant consequences as the risk of birth injuries increases.

Common Kinds Of Birth Injuries

A birth injury can occur at any stage of a pregnancy, during labour and delivery, and in the period immediately following a birth. Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of a serious medical condition, failure to follow proper procedures, lack of testing or improperly reading results, and using poor technique or judgment at critical points in the pregnancy and delivery can all cause and/or contribute to serious birth injuries.

Some common birth injuries include:

Brain damage – Significant and permanent damage to a developing brain can occur from untreated maternal or in utero infection, placental insufficiency (lack of oxygen and nutrients from damage to the placenta or it failure to develop), oxygen deprivation (perinatal asphyxia, anoxia or hypoxia), trauma to the head, or kernicterus (untreated severe jaundice post-birth). Brain injuries can cause conditions such as cerebral palsy, severe mental, physical or emotional disability, and even death.
Spinal cord injuries and nerve damage – Prior to birth an obstetrician or other medical provider should test for abnormalities that point to debilitating conditions such as spina bifida. During a traumatic delivery (for example, shoulder dystocia) or forced extraction, damage to the spine, the brachial plexus (the nerve network between the baby’s neck and shoulders) and other nerve damage can cause paralysis, loss of sensation, abnormal reflexes and other disabling injuries.
Broken bones and soft tissue scarring – Failure to take action to prevent a traumatic and difficult delivery (by opting for a Caesarean section) can create conditions where tools used in forced extractions (vacuums, forceps) and the pressure applied causes fractures or disfiguring scars.
Meconium aspiration –A fetus that is in distress (lack of oxygen or trauma during labour) or overdue may expel its first fecal matter prior to birth. When this happens, a baby’s lungs may ingest meconium (a mixture of the fecal matter and amniotic fluid) causing oxygen deprivation and/or infection.

We Can Help When You’ve Been Hurt

If negligent actions or inaction leads to a breach in the standard of care and a woman, her fetus or newborn infant suffers serious harm as a result, it’s called obstetrical malpractice – and it can change the course of life forever. Preventable birth injuries cause a victim and their loved ones pain and suffering, and the significant losses that may accompany them (loss of ability, loss of income, and even loss of life) are devastating.

Howie, Sacks and Henry’s trusted birth injury lawyers a ready to help you in Cobourg if obstetrical malpractice has hurt you or someone you love. Ranked as one of Canada’s top personal injury firms, our team has cultivated the skill, experience and expertise you’ll need when engaging with this challenging and complex area of law.

HSH birth lawyers will gladly arrange to meet with you in your own home in Cobourg or at a nearby consultation office. We understand that ability to travel and distance should never prevent you from being able to access high quality legal representation.

As we listen to your story with empathy, we’ll advise you of your legal options, help to facilitate any testing or evaluations you’ll need to support your recovery and case, and answer any questions you may have. HSH birth injury lawyers appreciate how difficult and stressful this period of your life feels and we always ensure we act in a way in which you know you are always more than a file to us – you are a person who deserves respect, dignity and kindness.

Trust an HSH birth injury lawyer to be your staunch advocate in your journey to claim the financial resources you deserve for the harm you’ve suffered. When we’re on your side and by your side in Cobourg, you can be confident that you’ll have a dedicated supporter working with you to give you hope there are better days ahead.