Depending on the severity, birth injuries can have long-lasting implications for a child’s life. If your child has suffered a birth injury due to cephalopelvic disproportion malpractice, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore birth injury attorneys understand the nuances of this area of law and have held many Maryland hospitals and other health care providers accountable for a child’s injuries. We understand that dealing with a birth injury is deeply stressful, but we are here to take the burden of the legal process off your shoulders.
Situations Involving Cephalopelvic Disproportion MalpracticeCephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) occurs when the size of a mother’s pelvis is misaligned with the size of the child’s head during childbirth. Put another way, this happens when the baby’s head or shoulders are simply too big to pass through the mother’s pelvis. This could be because the mother’s pelvis is too small or abnormally shaped, or a combination of the two. CPD is relatively common and can be quite a serious complication of labor and delivery. In fact, CPD happens in one out of every 250 pregnancies.
CPD presents dangers for both the mother and the baby, since the baby will have difficulty passing through the birth canal. Timely recognition of CPD is critically important. When labor is prolonged or the baby gets stuck, there is a serious risk of oxygen deprivation, which can lead to permanent brain damage and even death. Mismanagement of CPD can result in serious conditions, including cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, and epilepsy. CPD is typically diagnosed before labor begins, and doctors should take precautions accordingly. The following physician errors can lead to CPD complications:
These errors can lead to devastating harm. Physicians must recognize risk factors for CPD and follow the appropriate standard of care to prevent the baby from being injured. If your child has been injured due to a doctor’s mishandling of CPD, you may be able to file a medical malpractice claim. In Maryland, medical malpractice takes place when a physician causes injuries by failing to adhere to the standard of care that another physician in the same specialty would have used under the same or similar circumstances.
For example, a physician may recognize CPD but negligently persist in attempting a vaginal delivery, causing injuries to the child. In such a scenario, the physician would likely be liable for malpractice because a physician adhering to the appropriate standard of care would have ordered a C-section when signs pointed to CPD.
Children who suffer birth injuries may require long-term, even life-long care, which can be extremely costly. Parents should not be required to shoulder such a heavy financial burden when the cause of their child’s harm was a negligent physician. For this reason, Maryland law allows victims of medical malpractice to recover compensation for medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, costs of future care, pain and suffering, and any other losses related to the malpractice. The area of damages can be challenging, but, with years of experience handling complex malpractice cases, we can help you come up with an appropriate strategy.
Contact a Knowledgeable Baltimore Attorney to Discuss Your Malpractice CaseCPD is a condition that requires medical intervention. If your child suffered harm due to a medical professional’s cephalopelvic disproportion malpractice, you need to seek the help of a skilled Baltimore attorney without delay. At Arfaa Law Group, we are dedicated to helping children throughout Maryland by holding negligent medical professionals accountable for the harm that they cause. We can explore the details of what happened during the process and help you determine a logical course of action. To speak to a medical malpractice lawyer about your child’s injury, call us at 410-889-1850 or contact us online.