What To Do if Your Child Has a Birth Injury

Few things in life are scarier than the possibility of your child having a birth injury. Birth injuries can come with long-term effects that change lives and could add up to massive medical expenses, let alone the emotional toll a birth injury can have on the mother and infant. For this reason, it's important to know what to do if your child is born with an injury that could be related to medical malpractice or doctor negligence. To learn what to do if you suspect your child has suffered a birth injury and whether you need an attorney, read on.

Saving Paperwork and Requesting Medical Records

If you believe your child has suffered a birth injury, brain damage from birth trauma, a birth defect that could have been avoided, or any injury at birth, the first thing to do is begin collecting paperwork. Your birth injury attorney will need medical records to do an investigation into how your child's injury occurred and all the circumstances around your prenatal care and birth process. By having this paperwork available, you'll put yourself in a better position if it comes time to file a medical malpractice suit.

Maybe you live in Illinois and your newborn has suffered an injury from the use of forceps. Even if you aren't sure you're ready to call a Chicago birth injury attorney, you'll need as much information on hand as possible for the future. It's important to know that doctor negligence can cause a number of issues that may make you eligible for a favorable verdict in a medical malpractice lawsuit. For this reason, doing a little research ahead of time and saving everything related to your child's injury will help regardless of whether your baby's overall health will be impacted in the long or short term.

Contacting a Birth Injury Attorney

The birth product can be traumatic, and knowing your child may have a permanent disability can cause insomnia, extra stress, and frequent worries about legal issues. You'll want to do what you can to take care of yourself as you begin to search for a birth injury lawyer. Something as simple as understanding why CBD is healthier than tobacco will keep you healthier while you explore legal options. CBD products come in a variety of flavors and can work well to reduce stress, anxiety, and insomnia. CBD comes in many forms, including oils, creams, lotions, pills, tinctures, and edibles, and it could go a long way towards helping you stay calm during trying times.

When searching for a birth injury lawyer to handle a potential medical malpractice lawsuit against your healthcare provider, be sure to come up with a list of questions ahead of time. Most birth injury lawyers will offer free consultations to review your potential malpractice claim and this is a great time to mention concerns about your baby's doctor's medical error. Ask about how your child's serious injury could add up to big medical bills in the future and what formula your lawyer uses to determine fair compensation. Regardless of if your child has cerebral palsy, shoulder dystocia, Erb's palsy, brain damage, brachial plexus injuries, or another injury from problems in the birth canal or lack of oxygen at birth, it'll be imperative that you know how your claim might compensate for medical negligence.

Getting a Second Opinion and Alternatives

If you're like most parents whose child has suffered an injury that warrants a birth injury claim, you likely have mistrust about the system. For this reason, it's important to find another doctor to go over your child's injuries and help with treatments. Finding healthcare professionals who have your child's best interest at heart and understand the emotional toll of a personal injury lawsuit will help you learn to work with healthcare professionals again.

While it may be hard to trust traditional medicine after a birth injury, it's okay to check out alternative medicine, too. Doing some research on natural health products is another way parents of children with health issues navigate caring for their child. In addition to finding new health professionals in conventional medicine to take care of your baby, consider advocating for yourself and your child with some research on essential nutrients and vitamins, too.

Developing a Support System and Identifying Doctors You Trust

During your alternative research, you'll likely stumble across the importance of water for healthy skin, hair, and nails. The same way water is imperative for the health of the human body, a support system is critical to helping you get through the early stages of a medical malpractice lawsuit. Surround yourself with friends and family who understand and support what you're going through. Ask a doctor you trust about support groups and keep looking for a health team you trust. The more support you have around you and your baby, the easier it will be to deal with common birth injuries, permanent injuries, or developmental delays. This team of healthcare professionals will make a huge difference every step of the way.

Looking Forward

While learning that your child has spinal cord injuries, a potential permanent disability, or will suffer developmental delays can be traumatic, the good news is that with a support team in place and an attorney to handle birth injury litigation on your side, there's still hope for a successful future with your newborn.

At the end of the day, you will be your child's best natural advocate after a birth injury. By keeping detailed records, hiring a birth injury lawyer, getting second opinions, finding appropriate treatment, and doing your own research with supports, you'll put yourself and your child in the best possible situation to move forward successfully. While there will likely be challenges in the future, going through a birth injury case will show you just how strong you are and how tightly you and your baby are bonded.