When a doctor or other medical care provider mismanages a pregnant or laboring mother’s medications, the infant can suffer serious birth injuries. This type of injury is entirely preventable when doctors and others provide an acceptable standard of care and follow all protocols.
If your child suffered injuries during pregnancy, labor, or delivery because of a drug-related incident, a birth injury lawyer for drug-related negligence in your state could help you pursue legal action. Call 1-844-908-0346 or fill out the contact form.
Drug-Related Negligence Can Cause Lifelong Impairments
When a doctor gives a pregnant mother a medication, their infant also gets exposed to the drug. When the mother receives a dose that is too large or there are other medication mismanagement issues, the baby can suffer serious, life-threatening complications. This may occur when inducing labor using an oxycontin injection, or a similar drug.
Doctors should prescribe small incremental doses of Pitocin until the mother begins having contractions similar to natural labor. If an error occurs and the mother receives too much, the infant could have:
- An abnormal heart rate
- Jaundice
- Seizures
- Breathing concerns
- Lack of muscle tone
- Decreased Apgar scores
Depending on the medication, overuse or mismanagement of some medications could cause stroke, brain damage, cerebral palsy, and more.
Contact a birth injury lawyer for drug-related negligence in your state today to learn more. Fill out the contact form or call 1-844-908-0346.
An Attorney in Your State Can Help You Build a Birth Injury Case
When a pregnant laboring mother requires medication, it is up to her health care team to ensure the medication, dosage, and other details are well-managed to avoid harm to the baby. Pitocin, for example, requires close monitoring of intrauterine pressure and fetal heart rate, so the doctor has the earliest possible indication of any problems.
Failure to manage the medications properly and monitor the infant can result in birth injuries and may be grounds for a medical malpractice case. If you believe your newborn suffered birth injuries because of drug-related negligence, you may be eligible to pursue compensation. You should discuss your options with a birth injury attorney in your state as soon as possible.
Your attorney will be able to help you understand:
- The strength of your case
- The types of damages available to you
- Any relevant deadlines that may apply in your case
- The role of medical expert witnesses in proving your case
- The type of evidence required based on your state’s laws
- Your options for pursuing a payout
- The next step for taking legal action
Your attorney will work with medical experts to build a strong case to prove drug-related negligence and medical malpractice. Using the case they build, they may be able to negotiate a just out-of-court settlement or get an award in court on your behalf.
Connect With a Birth Injury Lawyer for Drug-Related Negligence Near You
If your child sustained birth injuries due to the negligence of healthcare administered drugs, the Birth Injury Lawyers Group can help you connect with a birth injury lawyer for drug-related negligence in your state who regularly handles this type of medical malpractice case. They will know the laws in your state and how they apply in your case. Fill out the contact form or call us at 1-844-908-0346 to connect with a lawyer today. When a doctor or other medical care provider mismanages a pregnant or laboring mother’s medications, the infant can suffer serious birth injuries. This type of injury is entirely preventable when doctors and others provide an acceptable standard of care and follow all protocols.
If your child suffered injuries during pregnancy, labor, or delivery because of a drug-related incident, a birth injury lawyer for drug-related negligence in your state could help you pursue legal action. Call 1-844-908-0346 or fill out the contact form.
What Is Drug-Related Negligence?
When a laboring mother is given a drug, that drug affects the baby as well. If a doctor, pharmacist, or other medical care provider makes a medication error and gives the mother too much of a drug or the wrong drug, the consequences could be severe for the child. In some cases, drug-related negligence can leave an infant with significant, lifelong impairments.
When a patient–in this case, the mother or the baby–sustains injuries because of a medication error, it is known as an adverse drug event (ADE). While some ADEs such as allergic reactions are difficult to predict and almost impossible to stop, many are preventable. While ADEs occur in all age groups and populations, birth injuries are particularly difficult as the infant can suffer lifelong repercussions because of the medication error.
Some birth-related ADEs occur when:
- The mother requires general anesthesia but is given too much or the wrong kind, or the care providers fail to monitor the patients closely.
- The care provider administers too much medication or administers it incorrectly during an epidural.
- The mother receives too much Pitocin (oxytocin) meant to induce her labor.
Any preventable ADE may support a negligence claim and medical malpractice lawsuit. Doctors, nurses, and others who provide medical care services have an obligation to prevent harm and provide quality health care to every patient.