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Hospital, doctors accused in birth injury lawsuit

On Behalf of | Aug 12, 2020 | Birth Injuries |

A new baby is generally cause for great happiness in a North Carolina family. If something happens during the birth that harms the baby, it can not only emotionally devastate a family, but it can cause them significant financial strain for the rest of the child’s life. One out-of-state woman has decided to sue the hospital where she gave birth as well as several obstetricians for the birth injury she says her son suffered due to negligence as she says his condition will require lifelong care.

The woman gave birth to her son back in 2008. She claims that doctors should have performed a cesarean section rather than attempt vaginal delivery in accordance with national standards of care. She says that the doctors’ actions caused her son to suffer a brain injury that will last his entire life. She also says he has neurocognitive and neuromuscular deficits as a direct result of his birth.

The lawsuit says that the baby’s heart rate dropped dramatically as well as climbed to above-average rates during labor. The woman’s cervix also would not open, and she and her representatives say that these factors all mean that doctors should have performed a C-section to deliver the baby. She is suing the hospital, four obstetricians and Medical Faculty Associates for $50 million in damages.

Whether this woman wins her case or not, it underscores just how crucial it is to have comprehensive medical care during labor. Failure to properly respond to a critical situation while a person gives birth can result in a serious and irreversible birth injury. Families in North Carolina who have been affected by this form of medical malpractice may want to consult an attorney to determine their available options.