Placental Previa and Placental Abruption

Placental previa and placental abruption can be treated if they are recognized in a timely manner. A lack of treatment or a delay in treatment, however, can lead to serious injuries and even death. If you have been harmed or your child has suffered a birth injury because a doctor improperly managed placental previa or placental abruption, we can help. At Arfaa Law Group, our skilled Baltimore birth injury attorney has the experience and zeal to help you pursue many forms of compensation for your harm.

Placental previa is a complication of pregnancy that is extremely dangerous to both the baby and the mother. This condition occurs when the placenta lies low in the uterus and partially or completely covers the cervix. Placental previa can cause severe bleeding, hypotension, tachycardia, and even hemorrhaging during pregnancy and delivery. Since this can be a potentially deadly complication, medical professionals must carefully manage the condition.

Placental abruption occurs when the placenta partially or completely detaches from the uterine wall. This condition can deprive the baby of oxygen and nutrients, and it can lead to severe bleeding that can be dangerous to both the mother and the child. Placental abruption is a complication of pregnancy that requires immediate medical attention. The causes or risk factors associated with placental abruption include preeclampsia or pregnancy-induced hypertension, smoking, maternal age, multiple gestation pregnancy, and trauma to the abdomen.

Both placental previa and placental abruption can be life-threatening, which is why doctors must take precautions to ensure the health of the mother and baby. If a doctor’s carelessness, error, or wrongdoing caused or contributed to an injury caused by placental previa or placental abruption, you can likely file a medical malpractice claim against that doctor. A number of actions or omissions by medical professionals may give rise to a medical malpractice claim, including but not limited to:

• A failure of a doctor or nurse to monitor;
• A failure to diagnose or a delayed diagnosis of placental previa or placental abruption;
• A failure to treat placental previa or placental abruption after it was diagnosed; or
• A misdiagnosis of placental previa or placental abruption.

Medical malpractice is the legal term used to refer to a health care provider’s failure to follow the accepted standard of care for their profession, resulting in patient harm. In order to establish malpractice, the plaintiff must prove that the following points are true: i) the medical professional owed the patient a duty of care; ii) the medical professional breached the duty of care owed to the patient; and iii) the medical professional’s breach was a direct and proximate cause of the patient’s harm. The duty of care refers to the obligation of every medical professional to use the level of care and caution that another medical professional in the same specialty would have used under the same circumstances. It is important to note that malpractice can also take place when a medical professional fails to act when there is a duty to do so.

Under Maryland law, a medical malpractice claim must be filed within a certain time frame, known as the statute of limitations. Failing to file within this time frame could mean being barred permanently from ever pursuing that claim. Thus, it is important to work with an experienced lawyer who understands the legal deadlines in Maryland medical malpractice cases.

At Arfaa Law Group, our diligent team understands the serious medical and legal consequences of a physician’s failure to recognize and treat expectant mothers who suffer from placental previa or placental abruption. With many years of experience, medical malpractice attorney Julia Arfaa is committed to protecting the rights of patients throughout the legal process. She represents people throughout the state of Maryland. To schedule a free initial consultation, call 410-889-1850 or contact us online as soon as possible.