Families deserve accountability when negligence during delivery robs a child of a healthy start in life
During labor and delivery, doctors and other medical professionals must respond quickly to changing circumstances and intervene appropriately when complications arise. Under some circumstances, that means performing an emergency cesarean section.
A delay in performing an emergency C-section can have serious consequences for the baby. When that happens, we fight for accountability.
When is an emergency C-section needed?
An emergency C-section may be medically necessary when there is an immediate risk to the health of the mother or the baby that requires a rapid birth. Some reasons an emergency C-section may be needed include:
- Fetal distress
- Placental abruption
- Prolapsed umbilical cord
- Uterine rupture
- Maternal hemorrhage (bleeding)
An emergency c-section is different from an unplanned c-section, which may be needed when there is an issue with labor and delivery that, while still urgent, is not immediately life-threatening. In a true emergency c-section, the goal is to get the baby out as fast as possible, sometimes in as little as one minute.
What happens if an emergency C-section is not performed in time?
Since emergency c-sections are only required in serious, life-threatening emergencies, a delay can be catastrophic.
In particular, a delay can cause oxygen deprivation for the baby, which can cause permanent brain damage, leading to hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and other serious injuries.
Brain damage during birth may cause immediately apparent harm, or it may take some time to appear as the baby experiences developmental delays. Either way, the consequences can be catastrophic. The child may need a lifetime of care.
In some cases, failure to perform an emergency C-section can also lead to the death of the mother or the baby.
Why an emergency C-section might be delayed
There are several reasons that doctors may fail to perform an emergency C-section in time, all of which involve medical negligence. Sometimes, failure to appropriately monitor the baby’s heart rate or other complications during labor and delivery can cause doctors to miss warning signs.
In other cases, doctors may be aware that there is a dangerous complication but choose a more conservative approach instead of ordering an immediate C-section. The cost of either error can be massive. That’s why we work to hold them accountable.
How a birth injury lawyer can help after a delayed emergency C-section
If your child was harmed due to a delayed emergency C-section, an experienced birth injury attorney can get to the bottom of what happened. At The Lancione Law Firm, we are skilled at reviewing medical records to piece together what happened during delivery and determine the cause of any complications that may have occurred.
We will thoroughly investigate and hire the right experts to hold the negligent doctor or other medical professional accountable. And we will build the case for the full compensation your family deserves for a lifetime of care.
Take immediate action to protect your child’s legal rights. Give us a call or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation.