Medical professionals have a duty to provide competent care throughout the labor and delivery process. Unfortunately, sometimes the actions or inactions of these professionals can cause burst blood vessels in a newborn’s eyes. If your child suffered subconjunctival hemorrhaging as a result of a medical professional’s negligence, we can help. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore birth injury lawyers can help you secure the compensation that you are entitled to receive so that your child and you can move forward with your lives. We have obtained many substantial verdicts and settlements in these cases for families throughout the state of Maryland.
Subconjunctival Hemorrhaging and its Impact on NewbornsSubconjunctival hemorrhaging is bleeding underneath the conjunctiva, the mucus membrane that covers the front of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids. The conjunctiva contains nerves and many small blood vessels, which are frail and can rupture or burst easily. It may be helpful to think of a subconjunctival hemorrhage as a bruise to the eye. It typically appears as a small red patch on the white of the eye. Thankfully, most cases of subconjunctival hemorrhaging clear up on their own. However, in some cases, the condition can lead to permanent eye damage.
A birth injury is a term that refers to any injuries that a fetus or newborn sustains while still under medical care. These injuries most commonly happen during labor but can occur at any time after that in which the child remains in the delivery ward. While a person can experience a subconjunctival hemorrhage at any age, it is often due to a birth injury. It can happen to newborns during a stressful delivery, in which too much pressure is put on the infant’s body. In some cases, the excessive force is due to the improper use of forceps or vacuum extraction tools.
Proving that a medical professional committed malpractice requires adequate evidence. In Maryland, medical malpractice takes place when a health care provider causes an injury by failing to use proper care. To establish malpractice, the plaintiff must demonstrate certain elements. First, it must be established that the health care provider owed the patient a duty of care. This means that the health care provider failed to use the level of care and caution that a reasonably prudent health care provider in the same specialty would have used in the same or similar circumstances. Second, the plaintiff and their attorney would need to show that the health care provider breached the duty of care owed to the plaintiff. This requires showing that the health care provider’s conduct was careless or deviated from the expected level of treatment. Lastly, the plaintiff must show that the health care provider’s breach was a direct cause of the injury. In the context of a subconjunctival hemorrhage in a newborn, the plaintiff must establish that the obstetrician’s error or substandard care was a direct cause of the hemorrhage.
In Maryland, birth injury victims may be able to seek a variety of economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages refer to compensation intended to compensate a victim for out-of-pocket expenses, such as medical costs, rehabilitation costs, the costs of future care, and more. Present economic damages tend to be easy to determine because they generally correspond to the bills that accumulate to treat the injury. Future economic damages, however, are harder to calculate, and a medical expert is generally needed to establish an amount. Non-economic damages refer to intangible losses, such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, and disability.
Contact a Knowledgeable Birth Injury Lawyer in the Baltimore AreaIf your baby suffered a subconjunctival hemorrhage due to a doctor’s negligence, you have the right to hold the doctor accountable for the results. At Arfaa Law Group, our attorneys can look into the circumstances of your child’s injury and determine the viability of your claim. With many years of experience, we understand how stressful this situation can be, and we want to make the legal process as free from anxiety as possible for you. We represent families in Baltimore and throughout Maryland. To speak to us about your case at no cost, call 410-889-1850 or contact us online. We can handle a wide range of complex birth injury cases, including those involving cerebral palsy and many other life-changing conditions.