As many parents in the Houston, Texas area know, having a child is a big responsibility. But parents who entrust their child to medical professionals should not have to worry about the quality of health care the child receives. Unfortunately for one set of parents, the quality of that care has become a major concern. They are suing a hospital after their child was born with cerebral palsy due to allegedly preventable complications from the birth.
The parents allege that it all started when the mother awoke early one morning with severe abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding after being pregnant for seven months. They claim that upon arrival at the hospital they were forced to spend time filling out paperwork and that the mother was then instructed to walk to the elevator which would take her to the labor department. An hour and a half later, and after the fetus’s dropping heart rate was diagnosed, physicians ordered a cesarean section. The parents are claiming that because the fetus endured a lack of oxygen for a significant amount of time, their son was born with cerebral palsy and other permanent birth defects.More specifically, they are suing the hospital for failing to develop policies that adequately address fetal emergencies, failing to adequately staff the obstetrics unit, failing to deliver an oxygen deprived fetus in a timely manner, along with other claims. They seek an unspecified amount of damages.
Cerebral palsy is a term that describes a number of disorders that affect a baby’s brain function and body motions. It can result from an injury to the baby’s brain while in the womb, during delivery or even after the child is born. It is also caused by a lack of oxygen to the baby’s brain while being delivered.
It can take years to recognize that a child has cerebral palsy. However, if it was caused by the mistakes of a negligent doctor or hospital, the parents may be entitled to monetary damages in order to compensate them for the high costs that will be necessary to properly care for the child. An experienced birth injury attorney can help parents obtain the compensation they need.
Source: The Louisiana Record, “Tulane-Lakeside Hospital and doctors blamed for child’s cerebral palsy” Kyle Barnett, Jan. 9, 2013
