Failure to Diagnose Preeclampsia

Many people face difficulties during pregnancy due to the toll it takes on their bodies. While some symptoms during pregnancy are normal, others are indicative of serious issues, and if they are not properly addressed, they can lead to significant harm. For example, preeclampsia, a condition some people suffer in the second half of their pregnancies, can cause injuries to both the parent and their unborn child if it is not diagnosed in a timely manner. If you or your child suffered damages due to your doctor's failure to diagnose your preeclampsia while you were pregnant, it is prudent to seek legal advice regarding what claims you may be able to pursue to recover damages. At the Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore birth injury lawyers will work tirelessly to help you pursue the full amount of compensation you may be owed.

Preeclampsia is an issue characterized by high levels of protein in the urine and a sharp increase in blood pressure that can arise after the twentieth week of pregnancy. People who are pregnant should be regularly screened for preeclampsia. Thus, it is often diagnosed through a routine check of the parent’s blood pressure. Pregnant people who are of advanced age, obese, or pregnant with twins have a higher risk of preeclampsia. Additionally, people who previously had issues with high blood pressure or who suffer from diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of preeclampsia as well.

While there are measures a doctor can prescribe to prevent preeclampsia, once it has developed, the most common treatment is the delivery of the infant. Thus, the treating providers must typically weigh the development of the unborn child with the severity of the mother’s condition to determine the appropriate time to induce labor or perform a Caesarean section. When a doctor does not diagnose preeclampsia, the infant is often not delivered in an appropriate time, which can result in hypoxic brain injuries to the infant, cerebral palsy, or the death of the infant.

When a child is injured at birth, their parents can pursue claims on behalf of the child, and on their own behalf. As such, it is common for people who have a child that was injured at birth due to a doctor’s failure to diagnose preeclampsia to pursue compensation by filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, and a medical negligence lawyer can help. In most cases, a lawsuit arising out of harm caused by undiagnosed preeclampsia will allege that the pregnant parent’s gynecologist, obstetrician, or another doctor that treated the them during their pregnancy was negligent for failing to provide a prompt diagnosis. In a Maryland medical malpractice case, a plaintiff alleging negligence must show that the defendant doctor owed the plaintiff a duty to comply with the appropriate standard of care and that the defendant breached the duty. The standard of care is the level of care that a doctor practicing in the same area of medicine, with like training and experience, would have provided the plaintiff in a similar situation.

The plaintiff must also show that the breach proximately caused the plaintiff’s harm. In other words, the plaintiff must show that they would not have been injured if not for the defendant’s breach. In the majority of birth injury cases, the plaintiff must retain an expert to explain to the jury why the defendant’s acts constituted a departure from the standard of care, and to link the departure to the harm alleged. An expert is typically needed to establish damages, such as future medical costs, as well.

It is critical for preeclampsia to be diagnosed in a prompt manner to prevent injuries to both the pregnant parent and their unborn child. If your child suffered harm due to your doctor's failure to diagnose you with preeclampsia, it is advisable to meet with an experienced attorney to discuss your potential claims. The proficient medical malpractice attorneys of the Arfaa Law Group are adept at helping people in Baltimore who have been harmed by medical malpractice pursue the full amount of compensation they may be owed from the providers that caused their injuries. We can be contacted at 410-889-1850 or via our online form to set up a free and confidential meeting.