Folic Acid Deficiency

A folic acid disorder can have serious and long-lasting consequences for a baby. If your newborn suffered a birth injury or if a stillbirth occurred due to a folic acid deficiency, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. While no amount of money can undo the harm that your child suffered, the compensation can help you move forward with your life. You can rest assured that our skilled Baltimore birth injury attorneys are here to help you explore your legal rights and options after a birth injury has occurred. We can compassionately guide you through the legal process, fighting for every dollar that you deserve.

Folic acid deficiency denotes low levels of folic acid in the body. Folic acid is one of the B vitamins that the body needs prior to conceiving a child and in the initial phases of pregnancy to prevent folic acid disorders in babies. Examples of harm caused by folic acid disorders include Neural Tube Disorder (such as spina bifida), premature birth, and miscarriage. In addition, research shows that folic acid reduces the chances of a cleft lip, heart defects, brain damage, stillbirth, and low birth weight. For these reasons and more, taking folic acid while pregnant reduces the risk of birth defects. Many times, women can eat folic acid-rich foods to avoid a folic acid deficiency. In other cases, they can simply take folic acid supplements. In cases of serious deficiencies, women can get folic acid injections.

Doctors are responsible for informing mothers about proper prenatal care. Sadly, by the time that a folic acid deficiency is detected, it can be too late to prevent the injury. If your doctor failed to inform you of the importance of folic acid during your pregnancy, they may be liable for medical malpractice. Medical professionals, including midwives, primary care physicians, and OBGYNs, have a legal duty to meet certain standards of care. Medical malpractice takes place when a child suffers a preventable birth injury because a medical professional failed to use the level of care and caution that a reasonably competent medical professional in the same specialty would have used under the same or similar circumstances.

Under Maryland law, within 90 days of filing a medical malpractice lawsuit in civil court, the plaintiff is required to file with the court and serve on all of the parties a “certificate of qualified expert.” This contains a statement in which the expert says that they have reviewed the case and that, in their opinion, the defendant medical professional failed to adhere to the appropriate level of care when it came to treating the plaintiff. A failure to file this “certificate of qualified expert” could result in the dismissal of the case altogether.

A successful birth injury lawsuit in Maryland could result in payment for your past and future medical expenses. Each case is different, so the exact amount of compensation that you will be entitled to obtain will depend on the nature and extent of the birth injury. For example, if your child is born with spina bifida, the level of disability will depend on where on the spine the defect has occurred. Some children will be able to walk with assistance, while others will need a wheelchair for their entire life. The child’s specific needs will dictate the compensation amount. Typically, a victim of a birth injury will be able to recover medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, disability, costs of assistive devices, and any other costs associated with the birth injury.

Seeing your child suffer injuries due to a medical professional’s negligence is nothing short of tragic. In addition, birth injuries can have devastating consequences for a child’s life. If your child suffered a birth injury due to folic acid deficiency, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore attorneys are committed to getting you the compensation that you deserve for your harm. For a free consultation to discuss your concerns with an attorney, call us today at 410-889-1850 or contact us online. We represent children and families throughout Maryland.