Losing a baby before having the chance to hold them could be any expectant parent’s worst nightmare. Knowing that the tragedy is preventable, if not for human error or negligence, only makes the loss even worse.
A stillbirth is a baby’s death before or during delivery. But unlike a miscarriage, it happens at or after the 20th pregnancy week, taking 21,000 babies every year.
If you just lost your precious baby, learning about the risk factors and whether your medical professional has anything to do with your tragic circumstances may help you get the closure your family longs for.
Possible negligent behavior leading to stillbirth
While other factors, like age, lifestyle and medical history, increase the risk of stillbirth, it is also possible that medical negligence or any action not meeting the standard of care necessary for your situation caused your birth injury. Your doctor may have:
- Failed to detect and treat an infection
- Misinterpreted crucial test results
- Overlooked proper and regular monitoring practices
- Inadequately assessed any potential pre-existing condition, such as diabetes and hypertension
With the complex scientific aspects of a medical malpractice claim, it is crucial to secure a credible and expert witness, who can help establish exactly how your baby’s death directly resulted from a breached care.
As medical technicalities accumulate in your head, so do your case’s legal considerations. Suppose you are partially at fault for not following your physician’s orders or any other reason causing the stillbirth. In that case, Oregon law may reduce the compensation you can recover based on your fault percentage. But complications may still unravel, especially if there are multiple liable parties, including the hospital.
Confronting the pain
They say a child buries their parent, and not vice versa. If you’re a parent currently dealing with unfathomable pain, know that you don’t have to endure this alone. By confronting who’s responsible, you can help your family heal and prevent the same ordeal from befalling another family.