Oregon Medical Malpractice and Auto Accident Law blog

Labor is usually an intense and sometimes frightening experience, but parents usually expect that the process will end well. For many Oregon families this is simply not the case. Although parents may feel helpless after learning their child suffered birth injuries during delivery, it is possible to hold hospitals, doctors and other medical staff responsible for their actions.

As compensation for their child's injuries, a jury recently awarded $23.9 million to an out-of-state family. During the mother's labor, the umbilical cord wound its way around the baby girl's neck, which deprived her of oxygen. She was then born the color blue, and doctors had to undertake extensive resuscitation efforts before she was able to breathe on her own. But those efforts could not undo the damage that was already done. Soon after birth, doctors determined that she had suffered a severe brain injury that would limit her cognitive, speech and motor skills.

Unfortunately, traumatic brain injury is a common result of a car crash. Even victims with a mild form of TBI such as concussion may experience lifelong health issues.

However, innovations in testing and treatment are helping those who suffer TBI to combat the effects and reduce the need for ongoing care.

A mother is suing multiple doctors who allegedly ignored the warning signs of a very serious condition. She says that since she did not receive adequate medical attention, her son was born with multiple birth injuries. Her medical malpractice lawsuit does not include a specific amount for damages, but the annual cost of providing her son with necessary medical care is around six figures. This cost is not uncommon for Oregon families in similar situations.

In late 2015, the woman spent two weeks in the hospital to lower her risk of going into preterm labor. Although it is not clear how far along in her pregnancy she was at that point, she attended an appointment with one of her doctors a week after being discharged. Despite bringing up multiple concerns, the doctor insisted that her pregnancy was proceeding normally and sent her home. Still experiencing troubling symptoms, she visited the emergency room on two separate occasions and was told that everything was fine. Doctors started to refuse the mother's phone calls shortly after.

Parents spend months getting ready to welcome their new baby into the world. Unfortunately, all it takes is one negligent mistake or error to change all of those carefully laid plans. For Oregon parents who are raising children injured by birth injuries, the reality of this situation can be especially difficult. However, it is possible to hold negligent doctors, nurses and hospitals responsible for their actions.

An out-of-state mother decided to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit after her son was injured during delivery. Her claim alleged that the medical personnel working at the facility where she gave birth ignored signs of distress for approximately six hours. This was backed up by medical experts who agreed that the fetal monitoring strips showed abnormalities both before and during labor. Experts also determined that the boy would not have suffered any injuries if the attending personnel had told the doctor about those abnormalities, which warranted a cesarean section.