An estimated seven out of every one thousand Ottawa births result in injuries each year. Unfortunately, a number of these birth injuries were avoidable. The attending physician during or before the birthing may have failed to order a necessary caesarean section, a nurse may have neglected to correctly monitor the fetus’ vital signs, or maybe, after birth, someone on the hospital staff failed to appropriately care for your newborn. Regardless of how a birth injury occurred, if that birth injury is believed to have been caused from medical negligence, an error, or misconduct, you may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against that Ottawa hospital or medical care provider.
How to Determine If You Have a Valid Ottawa Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
To determine if you need to contact an Ottawa medical malpractice lawyer, you should first evaluate the validity of your medical malpractice claim. To evaluate this, you’ll want to consider the criteria required to warrant a medical malpractice lawsuit in Ottawa. First, determine if there is clear evidence that a breach of the standard of care was present during your delivery process. Medical professionals are required to exercise a certain amount of diligence and caution when treating patients. If you believe your medical team was careless, they may have indeed violated the standard of care provision.
Things to consider when making a determination of negligence, misconduct, error, or due diligence on the part of your delivery medical team might include the following.
- Was there a failure to properly monitor your baby?
- Were medication errors made?
- Did medical personnel seem unfamiliar with some medical device used or did they misuse a medical device?
- Was there a failure of your physician or nurse to recognize signs of fetal distress during the delivery process?
- Was your labor prolonged or difficult?
- Did your physician fail to warn you of pregnancy risks or genetic defects before conception?
Liability for an Ottawa Birth Injury Lawsuit
If you determine that a negligent act did indeed contribute to your child’s birth injury, you’ll want to next determine who is liable for that injury. During labor and delivery with all the excitement and anticipation, it is sometimes difficult to remember all the details. But, try to think back about the details and ask yourself the following questions.
- Did your labor seem abnormally long?
- Were you and your fetus monitored consistently?
- Was there a time of panic in the delivery room?
- Did a nurse or doctor look worried when your baby was delivered?
- Was your child rushed away immediately after delivery?
- Was the after care of your infant satisfactory?
Don’t Delay In Contacting an Experienced Ottawa Medical Malpractice Lawyer If You Think Your Child’s Birth Injury Was Due to Negligence
When evaluating your delivery experience, if you think something wasn’t handled correctly and this resulted in your child sustaining a birth injury, don’t wait to contact an experienced Ottawa medical malpractice lawyer for assistance. The longer you wait the more your memories will fade. No amount of compensation will reverse your child’s birth injury, but financial help can ease the worry and stress of trying to raise a child with special needs.
