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Recent Blog Posts
Can I Sue If Prescription Drugs Cause Birth Injuries?
Pregnant women can get sick like anyone else, and they might need medication for other health problems. Many prescription and over-the-counter drugs are safe, but some can lead to birth defects, developmental issues, or even miscarriages. Doctors should know about these risks and choose safer alternatives, but sometimes they do not. Pharmacists who know you are pregnant should advise you of potential risks before filling your prescription.
If you were prescribed medication while pregnant and had a miscarriage or your baby suffered birth injuries, you might be able to get compensation through a medical malpractice claim. A skilled Chicago, IL lawyer from Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd. can help explain your options during a free consultation.
What are Teratogenic Medications?
Teratogenic medications can cause birth defects if a baby is exposed to them while in the womb. The stage of pregnancy when the drug is taken can affect how severe the birth injuries are. Some drugs that may be harmful include:
Can Maternal Breast Cancer Treatment Harm an Unborn Child?
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. All women, including expectant mothers, are reminded to undergo regular screening for this form of cancer. Early detection increases the effectiveness of treatments. However, some forms of cancer treatments can harm unborn babies.
Was your child harmed by its mother’s breast cancer treatment during pregnancy? Can you get compensation through a birth injury claim? The knowledgeable Chicago, IL lawyers at Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd. can tell you if you qualify and explain your legal options.
Can I Get a Mammogram While Pregnant?
Mammography is one of the most common methods of diagnosing breast cancer. With proper safety precautions, these procedures should not hurt unborn children. If you know you are pregnant, inform the technician performing your mammogram.
According to the National Cancer Institute, over 25 percent of mammograms given to pregnant women give false negative results. A biopsy is recommended to ensure a correct diagnosis. Because a biopsy can be performed with local anesthesia, it typically does not harm babies.
Can I Sue My Doctor for C-Section Errors in Illinois?
While many babies are delivered vaginally, Cesarean sections are sometimes medically necessary. These surgeries usually proceed without error, leaving the mother and child happy and healthy. Unfortunately, some doctors make mistakes during these procedures, often causing significant maternal injuries and harm to newborns.
If you or your child suffered harm from C-section errors, Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd. may be able to help you get compensation through a medical malpractice claim. Our firm focuses on birth injuries that affect babies and their mothers, making us the clear choice to provide competent and effective legal representation. Call today for your free consultation.
What Are Frequent C-Section Errors?
Some mothers plan to deliver their babies by C-section in advance, while others require emergency surgery when normal childbirth is too risky. Doctors must cut through several layers of skin and muscle to open the uterus to lift the baby from the mother’s womb, then suture or staple every layer back together. Several errors may occur before, during, and after the surgery that endanger both mother and child, such as:
Can I Sue if My Baby Died and it Was a Doctor’s Fault? | IL
When a couple is expecting a baby, they often spend time during the pregnancy imagining what the future might have in store for them. They might picture taking this baby on strolls through a park, going to their first baseball game or ballet, teaching them how to ride a bike, and many more milestones that hopeful parents look forward to.
Unfortunately for some families, pregnancy can end shockingly with infant wrongful death, which is the term used when a baby dies in their first month because of medical wrongdoing. If your family is dealing with this tragedy, a compassionate Chicago, IL birth injury lawyer can help pursue legal avenues as you deal with the grief of this terrible loss.
Lawsuits for Wrongful Death After an Infant Death
When an infant dies, no compensation on the planet can make the parents feel better. While trying to pick up the pieces of such a terrible loss, they might even be completely uninterested in any money they could get out of a lawsuit. Parents often feel they do not want to benefit in any way from what happened.
When Postpartum Depression Goes Undiagnosed
The birth of a child can be an incredible experience, and the memories of that period are cherished for the rest of the parents’ lives. Unfortunately, the abnormal levels of hormones and chemicals released in a mother’s body before, during, and after birth can make it a challenging time for many women. Typical hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy and after birth can result in mood swings and hyperemotionality.
However, if symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) go undiagnosed and are brushed off as "regular" maternal emotional issues, the results can be tragic. If you think you or a loved one is experiencing tragic consequences of undiagnosed PPD, seek immediate medical attention and then speak to a dedicated Chicago, IL birth injury lawyer to review your options.
Diagnosing Postpartum Depression
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, PPD is a major episode of depression that can develop within four weeks of giving birth. This episode consists of two weeks or more of feeling depressed, disinterested in daily activities, loss of appetite, disturbed sleep, psychomotor issues, fatigue, a disproportionate sense of guilt or worthlessness, disinterest in the baby, and suicidal thoughts.
Medical Malpractice and Infant Meningitis
Some infections happen under excellent medical conditions and without a doctor being able to control the effects. In other cases, as with infant meningitis, medical mistakes can be responsible for failing to prevent, diagnose, and treat, leading to serious complications and even death.
Meningitis is a severe infection that can damage the brain and spinal cord. However, with prompt and proper treatment, some people can fully recover. If your baby suffered a meningitis infection due to inadequate medical care, speak with a Cook County, IL birth injury lawyer to understand your options.
Is Infant Meningitis Fatal?
There are two main types of meningitis: viral and bacterial. While both types present serious health risks, medication can often treat meningitis. However, if it goes undiagnosed and untreated, a mostly manageable infection can turn into something much more severe and possibly fatal.
Can Untreated Maternal Infection Hurt a Fetus? | IL
When you are pregnant, health concerns change because, in addition to taking care of your own health, you are already starting to take care of your baby. Pregnant women often change their diet, exercise, lifestyle, and other habits to encourage safe and healthy development for their babies. During the nine months of pregnancy, there are regular checkups and scans intended to monitor the baby’s growth and warn of any developing issues.
However, pregnant women are just as prone as anyone else to contract infections. If they are not treated promptly, some maternal infections can pose a serious fetal harm. If your baby was harmed due to an untreated maternal infection, speak with a compassionate Chicago, IL birth injury attorney to review your options.
Common Maternal Infections that Can Harm the Baby
Several different types of maternal infections can cause serious harm to a baby if they are not treated promptly, including:
Proving Negligence in an Illinois Erb’s Palsy Case
Many expecting mothers create a birth plan that outlines how they want their delivery to occur. They think through all the scenarios they can imagine and decide things like whether they will want an epidural, dimmed lights, calming music, or a water birth. However, some scenarios cannot be foreseen. For example, a baby can suffer from shoulder dystocia during birth and develop an injury called Erb’s Palsy. If your baby has Erb’s Palsy due to negligence during birth, you might be eligible for compensation. Speak with a qualified Chicago, IL birth injury attorney to learn more.
What is Erb’s Palsy?
Sometimes during birth, the nerve network near the shoulder and neck known as the brachial plexus can be damaged. This can happen when the baby’s shoulder is stuck, and a doctor pulls hard to free it. This nerve damage can cause an injury known as Erb’s Palsy.
What is the Statute of Limitations for a Birth Injury Claim?
If you or your baby were injured at birth, it is reasonable to assume you had more pressing things to take care of immediately than preparing a legal case against the medical personnel who were responsible. Recovering from a traumatic birth and treating any injuries while caring for a newborn can certainly take up a lot of time and attention. If you are now ready to consider your legal options, speak with an experienced Chicago, IL birth injury lawyer to understand whether you are still within the statute of limitations to file a claim.
How Long After Birth Can I Sue for a Birth Injury?
The statute of limitations is an interesting concept for birth injury cases because some birth injuries are only evident months or years later while others can be diagnosed immediately after birth. That is why there are exceptions to the statute aimed at allowing parents to file a lawsuit.
The Husband Stitch and the Need for Consent
People tend to trust their doctors to give them the best medical care they can and avoid unnecessary procedures. We expect to be asked for our consent before something potentially painful and harmful is done, especially if there is no clear medical necessity for it. The husband stitch is an example of a medical procedure that is not meant to improve the patient’s health and is often performed without the patient’s consent. While it is mostly unreported and undocumented, the practice of adding a husband stitch would fall under the category of medical malpractice if it can be proven. If you suspect a husband stitch was added while you were in the delivery room, speak with a qualified Chicago, IL birth injury attorney to find out what you can do about it.
Is the Husband Stitch Real?
While it is difficult to prove, the husband stitch appears to be a real practice. It refers to an unnecessary stitch being added when a vaginal tear or episiotomy is stitched up after childbirth. The reported reasoning behind it is to make the vaginal area tighter for the pleasure of the mother’s male partner, although there is no medical reason for it.
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