Although people typically think of an E. coli infection as a food-borne illness, it can arise from other causes. Notably, E. coli sometimes occurs in newborns, and when it does, it often requires extensive medical care. A neonatal E. coli infection may be the result of medical negligence and may be grounds for pursuing a birth injury claim against the health care providers that cared for the mother and infant before and during delivery. If your child contracted an E. coli infection during birth, you could be owed compensation, and you should speak to an attorney about your possible claims. The assertive Baltimore birth injury lawyers of Arfaa Law Group are proficient at proving that reckless medical professionals should be held accountable for the losses caused by their carelessness, and if you hire us, we will fight tirelessly on your behalf.
Effects of a Neonatal E. Coli InfectionSymptoms of an E. coli infection in a newborn may include an elevated temperature, persistent crying or unusual irritability, diarrhea, vomiting, a swollen abdomen, grunting, and lack of appetite. Doctors diagnose E. coli infections by culturing an infant’s blood, urine, or spinal fluid. Treatment typically includes antibiotics and supportive measures. In some cases, E. coli infections lead to pneumonia, sepsis, meningitis, and other illnesses. E. coli infections are more likely to occur in infants that have low birth weights or are born pre-term. E. coli infections can be passed from the mother to an infant during birth; as such, it is critical that doctors test mothers who show signs of infection. It may also be transmitted by people working in the hospital.
Seeking Damages for Harm Caused by a Neonatal E. Coli InfectionIn many instances, a neonatal E. coli infection is the direct result of medical oversights and errors. As such, parents of children who contract such infections will often seek damages for their children’s harm via a negligence claim in a birth injury lawsuit. Under Maryland law, four elements comprise negligence: duty, breach, damages, and causation, and a plaintiff must prove each element to recover compensation.
Duty refers to the obligation the defendant owes to the plaintiff. In cases arising out of medical malpractice, the defendant’s duty is to provide the plaintiff with medical treatment that conforms to the standard of care, which is the care that a reasonable professional would provide in a similar situation. A breach is a failure to comply with the standard of care. Causation and damages are connected in that the plaintiff must show that the defendant’s breach proximately caused them to suffer harm. While the defendant’s actions do not have to be the sole cause of the plaintiff’s harm, it must be a significant factor in bringing it about.
The plaintiff will most likely need to retain a medical expert to testify regarding the standard of care the defendant was required to comply with, the ways in which the defendant deviated from the standard of care, and to explain how the defendant’s acts led to the plaintiff’s harm. The defendant will most likely argue that the E. coli infection was caused by some factor other than negligence, and will offer testimony from their expert to support that opinion. As such, which party prevails depends, in part, on whose expert the judge or jury finds to be more persuasive.
Confer With a Trusted Baltimore LawyerAn E. Coli infection can cause serious complications in an infant, and if it was caused by medical mistakes, it may be grounds for seeking damages in a birth injury lawsuit. If your child developed an E. Coli infection due to errors during their birth, it is in your best interest to speak to an attorney regarding what claims you may be able to pursue. The trusted Baltimore lawyers of Arfaa Law Group possess the skills and experience needed to achieve favorable outcomes in birth injury matters, and if you engage our services, we will craft persuasive arguments in your favor. We have an office in Baltimore, where we regularly represent people in birth injury and medical malpractice cases. You can reach us through our form online or by calling us at (410) 889-1850 to set up a confidential conference.