A cesarean section, or C-section, has the potential to cause injuries to both mother and child. Sometimes, birth trauma occurs when the C-section is delayed, despite indicators that an emergency C-section is warranted. This can be an example of medical malpractice. Other possible risks of a C-section include damage to the mother’s internal organs or breathing problems of the baby. After a C-section, patients can expect an extended hospital stay and a longer overall recovery time. They can also expect higher medical bills, particularly if additional medical care was required for C-section injuries.

Although recovering from injuries after a C-section is of the highest priority, families may wish to consider talking to a medical malpractice attorney sooner, rather than later. If indeed medical malpractice was to blame for the injuries, families must file a claim before the statute of limitations expires. A settlement or jury award can help families cover the cost of the medical bills, lost wages, and any ongoing care needs of the mother and child.

At Pegalis & Erickson, LLC, our medical negligence lawyers serving Long Island, New York will handle every aspect of your claim so you can focus on your recovery and on caring for your little one. Even if you aren’t sure whether you have a claim, you can call us at (516) 684-2900 for legal guidance.

The brachial plexus is a bundle of nerves located in the shoulder region. An injury to this network of nerves, known as a brachial plexus injury, can cause mild to severe symptoms that may be either temporary or permanent. Typically, the symptoms involve the loss of muscle control of the affected arm. A brachial plexus injury may occur at birth if the baby’s shoulder becomes lodged in the birth canal. Medical malpractice in the form of excessive physical maneuvers can result in a birth injury.

Prenatal Care

The risk of this form of birth trauma may be reduced if the expectant mother is given proper prenatal care. In fact, deviating from the standard of care for pregnant women is considered a form of medical malpractice. One of the risk factors of brachial plexus injuries is excessive weight gain of the mother during pregnancy. The healthcare provider should carefully monitor the mother’s weight gain and provide nutritional guidance as needed. The mother should be informed of the potential risks of excessive weight gain. Another controllable risk factor of brachial plexus injuries is gestational diabetes, which refers to the development of diabetes during pregnancy. Expectant mothers with gestational diabetes should be given extensive patient education on managing blood sugar levels to promote a healthy pregnancy, as well as a referral to high-risk doctors and nutritionists.

Cesarean Delivery

A C-section may be recommended for women with a high-risk pregnancy, such as when the baby is at a higher risk of developing a brachial plexus injury. The healthcare provider should assess the risk of the baby, such as by evaluating fetal size, and make appropriate recommendations. In the event that the labor and delivery is prolonged and excessive force might be required, the health care provider may be expected to recommend a C-section to prevent birth trauma.

The medical negligence lawyers of Pegalis & Erickson, LLC have years of experience helping families move forward after a birth injury diagnosis. If your child was diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury, you could consult our medical malpractice lawyer serving Long Island, New York to find out about your legal rights and options. To schedule a case review with a medical malpractice lawyer, call us at (516) 684-2900.

There are many circumstances in which a mother can bring a claim for birth injuries. Since there is a deadline for filing a claim, known as a statute of limitations, it’s advisable for parents to consult a birth injury lawyer as soon as the injury is diagnosed, or if the child isn’t reaching milestones. The birth injury lawyer can review the case to determine if a lawsuit might be filed on the basis of medical negligence. A child may have suffered injuries if the obstetrician failed to diagnose conditions during pregnancy, labor, or delivery, or failed to treat those conditions.

Conditions that affect the infant may result from medical negligence during pregnancy or during the birth. For example, when an expectant mother has a prolonged or difficult labor, or abnormalities of the fetal heart rate are present, it is generally expected that the obstetrician will call for a C-section, to ensure that the baby doesn’t suffer from oxygen deprivation. If the doctor fails to do so and birth injuries are later diagnosed, this may be grounds for a lawsuit.

At Pegalis & Erickson, LLC, we understand the difficulties that often arise following a diagnosis of birth injuries in Long Island, New York. Our legal team would like to offer our services during this challenging time. Call us at (516) 684-2900 and let us know how we can help your family.

While eagerly anticipating the birth of their child, parents may not consider the possibility that their little one will suffer serious birth injuries that could result in lifelong complications. Far too many families each year face this sort of tragedy. When a child is diagnosed with a birth injury, parents may wish to consult a medical malpractice lawyer. A lawyer can review medical records and other evidence to look for signs of medical malpractice.

Causes and Risk Factors of Birth Injuries
Healthcare providers should be aware of the risk factors of birth injuries and take appropriate steps to mitigate the risk. These risk factors can include premature birth, large size of the baby, or breech position. Birth injuries more often occur during prolonged or difficult labor. While the mother is in labor, obstetric staff should be carefully monitoring the fetal heartrate. The fetal heartrate may begin to show signs of fetal distress. When this occurs, physicians should take steps to prevent complications such as oxygen deprivation to the baby’s brain. They may perform an emergency C-section, for example. When a C-section is delayed or not performed at all, the child may be more likely to suffer birth injuries. Birth injuries may also occur if the obstetrician uses forceps, a vacuum extractor, or other equipment for delivery. When used improperly, these devices may inflict serious damage to the baby.

Types of Birth Injuries
If a healthcare provider uses excessive force to manipulate the baby during delivery, it is possible that the child will suffer from bone fractures, such as a broken clavicle. Another type of birth injury is a brachial plexus injury, also known as Erb’s Palsy, which refers to damage of the network of nerves in the shoulder area. When these nerves suffer damage, the baby may suffer paralysis of the affected arm and hand.

The medical malpractice team at Pegalis & Erickson has spent more than 40 years employing the litigation system to work to help our clients. It’s our goal to make healthcare safer for families; unfortunately, far too many parents are still hearing the devastating news that their child has suffered a serious birth injury. If your child has suffered birth injuries in Long Island, New York, you can call our firm at (516) 684-2900 and let us know how we can help you.

The loss of a child is unimaginably heartbreaking for parents. If your baby was stillborn, you have the right to know whether medical malpractice contributed to your loss. Although a lawsuit can never truly compensate you for losing your child, it may help you to find some measure of closure.

Defining Stillbirth
A stillbirth is considered to be the loss of a baby when the expectant mother was past the 20 ^th week of gestation . Pregnancy loss before that time is considered a miscarriage.

Understanding Early Warning Signs
Stillbirth can occur without warning. However, when symptoms do arise, the expectant mother may experience back or abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, or an abrupt decline in fetal movement. Obstetricians should instruct women past the 28 ^th week of gestation to track fetal movements daily. Earlier tracking is recommended for women with a high-risk pregnancy. To track the baby’s kicks and other movements, women should choose a time of day at which her baby is typically the most active. They can then recline and track the length of time it takes to feel 10 kicks. An abrupt increase or decrease in kicks, or a lack of kicking for two hours indicates a potential emergency.

Delivering a Stillborn Child
Parents of a stillborn child face many difficult decisions, including whether to induce labor. When a child dies before labor, it is medically safe to carry the child. Labor will naturally begin in about two weeks. If parents choose to wait for natural labor to begin, they must be prepared to handle the physical changes to the child’s appearance. Many women find it emotionally traumatizing to carry a dead child and so they may elect to induce labor. If the stillbirth is the result of medical negligence, a lawsuit may seek compensation for emotional distress suffered by the mother.

The loss of a child is an unspeakable tragedy, particularly when stillbirth could have been prevented. If you decide to pursue a lawsuit near Long Island, New York on behalf of your baby, the medical malpractice team at Pegalis & Erickson will be by your side every step of the way. For a confidential consultation about stillbirth cases, call (516) 684-2900.

So many problems can occur during labor and delivery, often as a result of medical malpractice. If your child was diagnosed with a birth injury, you can work with a medical malpractice attorney to assess the possibility that medical negligence caused the health problem. Sometimes, a medical malpractice lawyer may file a lawsuit on the basis of negligent prenatal care. For example, a physician may have failed to diagnose the mother with contagious disease, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, anemia, or other medical condition that can affect the health of the fetus.

Negligence also frequently occurs during labor and delivery. For example, the healthcare team may fail to properly monitor the fetal heart rate or they may fail to respond appropriately to signs of fetal distress. This may lead to a delay in ordering an emergency C-section when one is needed. Other birth injuries occur because the obstetrician failed to properly use instruments such as vacuum extractors or forceps, which can cause the child to develop serious disabilities.

Families of children who have been diagnosed with birth injuries can turn to Pegalis & Erickson for legal guidance. To schedule an appointment with a birth injury lawyer in Long Island, New York, call (516) 684-2900.

Stillbirth is among the most devastating experiences for expectant parents. Stillbirth occurs when the baby dies while still in the womb. It may occur at any time past 20 weeks of gestation, including during labor and delivery. Often, stillbirth is the result of uncontrollable medical circumstances. Sometimes, however, it may be caused by acts of medical malpractice. If you’ve suffered the loss of your baby, you could consult a lawyer at a malpractice law firm to determine if you have the basis for a lawsuit.

Improper Prenatal Care
One way in which stillbirth may be the result of medical malpractice is if a woman received improper prenatal care. The expectant mother may not have been properly counseled about her nutritional needs, leading to an increased risk of malnutrition and stillbirth. Or, a healthcare provider may have failed to diagnose the patient with a high-risk pregnancy, despite having indications of it. Mothers with diabetes should be considered high-risk and monitored very closely.

Bacterial Infections
A healthcare provider may sometimes be found negligent in failing to diagnose the expectant mother with a bacterial infection. If the mother develops a bacterial infection between 24 and 27 weeks of gestation, fetal death can occur, or there can be a premature delivery.. Unfortunately, these infections frequently go undiagnosed until serious complications develop.

Chronic Health Conditions
Some instances of stillbirth occur as a result of chronic health conditions of the mother. Expectant mothers who have kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or blood clotting disorders must be carefully monitored during pregnancy. These health problems can lead to poor fetal growth, which increases the risk of stillbirth. Additionally, some women develop preeclampsia during pregnancy, which is a form of high blood pressure. This can also heighten the risk of stillbirth.

If your family has suffered a pregnancy loss, you can turn to the medical malpractice team at Pegalis & Erickson for legal guidance. Call (516) 684-2900 to schedule a consultation at our malpractice law firm in Long Island, New York. Our law firm has been nationally recognized for our outstanding track record of successful jury awards and settlements for our clients.

Cerebral palsy isn’t one specific disorder; rather, it’s a group of disorders that affect an individual’s ability to control movement. The signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy are typically noticeable early in a child’s life. Sometimes, cerebral palsy is not preventable. However, in some cases, it may be the result of avoidable birth injuries, a form of medical malpractice. Parents can learn more about the causes and risk factors of cerebral palsy, and should question the cause or causes of their child’s diagnosis of cerebral palsy.

Causes
Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the baby’s brain. There are many possible causes of brain damage, which may be inflicted during pregnancy, during labor and delivery, and shortly after birth. For example, a baby may suffer brain damage from an infection of the mother during pregnancy. Obstetricians are responsible for evaluating the health of expectant mothers, but sometimes, mistakes are made. Other possible causes include jaundice of the newborn and severe oxygen deprivation to the brain of the baby, which can occur during labor and delivery. Attending medical staff should closely monitor the fetal heartrate and recommend a C-section if signs of fetal distress are noticed. If the medical team is negligent in performing its duties, the baby can suffer oxygen deprivation and subsequently be diagnosed with cerebral palsy. This can constitute a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Complications
Cerebral palsy causes lifelong disability to varying degrees. Children may suffer from muscle rigidity or muscle floppiness. They may display lack of muscle coordination, difficulty walking, and involuntary movements. Problems with swallowing, difficulty eating, and speech delays are also common. Additionally, children with cerebral palsy may have trouble with fine motor skills. They are at a higher risk of suffering from lung disease, neurological conditions, and malnutrition.

All children deserve the chance to lead happy, productive lives, but birth injuries can sometimes prevent this. If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, you can contact a cerebral palsy lawyer in Long Island, New York to discuss the possibility of filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. Parents can contact Pegalis & Erickson at (516) 684-2900 for their free, no-obligation consultation.

It’s tragic for any parent to discover that a little one has suffered a birth injury that may affect him or her for a lifetime. Once a birth injury is detected, a birth injury lawyer should be contacted promptly. Often, medical malpractice is to blame. Sometimes, the signs of birth injuries are evident at birth. These may include lethargy, seizures, and failure to breathe properly. The baby may have an arched back while crying, he or she may grunt or drool excessively, or the child may have trouble with swallowing and sucking. Some infants may display a curled-up hand, or keep the hand and arm bent toward their bodies.

With some birth injuries, it can take a while for the symptoms to become obvious. In children ages 12 to 24 months, birth injuries may be indicated by motor skill delays, walking problems, lack of muscle control, or poor coordination. Speech delays and intellectual disabilities may occur. Children with birth injuries may be slow to acquire skills of independence, such as grasping a spoon or getting dressed by themselves.

Could your baby be the victim of medical malpractice in Long Island, New York? Call the medical malpractice team of Pegalis & Erickson at (516) 684-2900 to discuss your legal options.