Sometimes during pregnancy, the baby’s umbilical cord can become wrapped around their neck. This is called a “nuchal cord,” and it can sometimes make it harder to deliver the baby or it may cause certain complications. If your obstetrician and the rest of the medical team provides you with proper levels of care and attention, there shouldn’t be any unnecessary complications. However, if your doctor fails to properly monitor the nuchal cord or makes unnecessary or dangerous healthcare decisions in your case, you could face serious complications that affect your baby’s health.
If your child had their umbilical cord wrapped around their neck and suffered serious health complications, call Miami umbilical cord wrapped around neck lawyer Prosper Shaked. Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA can investigate your childbirth injury case and help you get the compensation you need for your baby’s injuries and health effects. For a free legal consultation, contact our law offices today at (305) 694-2676.
Causes of Umbilical Cord Around Neck Complications
The umbilical cord links the baby to the mother to get the baby nutrients and oxygen while in the womb. A nuchal cord occurs when the umbilical cord literally gets wrapped around the baby’s neck. This typically happens when the baby moves a lot inside the womb or when the cord is longer than usual. The umbilical cord is not tough like a rope but is instead made of soft, somewhat stretchy tissue. That means that if a baby gets wrapped in the cord, it does not usually cause problems and that the cord may even become unraveled. However, it is vital that your doctor monitors the situation and takes action if it becomes dangerous or might make the delivery harder.
Risks of Nuchal Cord Injuries for Newborns
When the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby’s neck, it can cause strangulation. Since the umbilical cord can stretch, it is more likely that the cord itself will be pressed closed and block the baby’s access to oxygen and nutrients. If this happens, the baby could suffer hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy or other injuries from lack of oxygen. Reduced oxygen to the brain can cause serious damage and lead to developmental disorders or death.
If the cord is wrapped around the baby’s neck, it could require immediate action to deliver the baby. To prevent hypoxia and other potential problems, the baby may need to be delivered immediately, whether by natural birth or by caesarian section. If the umbilical cord changes the baby’s position or makes it dangerous to deliver the baby, a C-section may be necessary – but a caesarian section can come with increased risks. If the baby is delivered by natural birth when a C-section should have been used, the baby could suffer trauma or increased risks during birth.
If the baby does suffer injury or lack of oxygen during the delivery, the baby could face serious health effects that could last a lifetime. Hypoxia can cause brain damage that might lead to developmental disorders, vegetative state, or even stillbirth. If the cord being wrapped around the neck makes the delivery more difficult, the doctor may need to use forceps to pull the baby out. This could cause brain damage or injuries leading to conditions like cerebral palsy or facial paralysis.
Suing for Umbilical Cord Malpractice and Birth Defects
If your baby suffers preventable injuries during their birth, the doctor, the other medical professionals, and the hospital may be at fault. These individuals owe you and your baby a duty to give healthcare that meets minimum standards of quality. If they fail to do so, you may be entitled to file a lawsuit against them seeking compensation for the harm you and your baby suffered.
To prove your medical malpractice claim against your healthcare provider, you need to explain to a jury what errors your doctor committed. To explain these errors, you are typically required to have a medical expert testify to what the standard of care is and what steps your doctor should have taken to meet those standards. The jury can use your expert’s testimony to rule in your favor.
When you win your case, you may be entitled to damages for the detrimental effects your child faces. These damages can include the cost of additional medical care expenses as well as damages for pain and suffering. Many birth defects and health conditions stemming from malpractice during childbirth can affect your child for the rest of their lives. These effects may be worth substantial damages for mental anguish and emotional distress.
You should talk to a lawyer about your case if you think that your doctor’s negligence might have contributed to your child’s injuries. Working with a medical malpractice lawyer can help you understand what your case is worth instead of relying upon the other side’s settlement offers or valuations of the case. Your lawyer can help protect your rights and your child’s rights and fight your case in court.
Call Our Miami Umbilical Cord Injury Malpractice Lawyer
Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA represent victims of medical malpractice in lawsuits to seek compensation for their injuries. Miami umbilical cord medical malpractice lawyer Prosper Shaked offers free legal consultations to help potential clients understand their claims and learn more about filing a medical malpractice lawsuit for their child’s birth complications. For a free legal consultation on your case, contact our law offices today at (305) 694-2676.