A new study has examined the effects of birth injuries on both families and health care providers. While in the majority of instances births go smoothly, occasionally complications arise and lead to birth difficulties. For example, in a recent birth injury lawsuit, the mother had a "normal" pregnancy with no signs of difficulty. However, when the child was born he exhibited signs of distress – while his heart function was strong, he wasn't breathing. Subsequent tests showed that the boy had suffered a brain injury during labor. He was later diagnosed with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, a brain injury caused by oxygen deprivation. The family later filed a birth injury lawsuit alleging negligence on the part of the obstetrician overseeing the delivery. While the family was devastated, so too was the midwife who attended the birth.
According to a recent study, often the care-givers sometimes called "the second victims," sustain long-lasting emotional damage following such a trauma. This trauma may manifest itself both emotionally and physically, leading to some providers experiencing symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety.
Often birth injuries and medical errors affect more than just the patient. As such, as California birth injury lawyers, we are committed to investigating incidences of medical negligence and working to find ways to reduce the number of preventable medical mistakes.
For more information, please contact the experienced California birth injury lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for an immediate consultation.