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Emergency C-Sections

Emergency C-Sections

Experienced Birth Injury Attorneys Serving Clients across the U.S.

There are about four million births in the United States every year, and over 30 percent of these are cesarean sections. According to the World Health Organization, there is no empirical evidence to support an improvement in overall maternal and fetal outcomes once a country’s C-section rate exceeds 15 percent. Yet, there is no question that emergency C-sections are life-saving procedures for many mothers and babies. Without this important surgery, childbirth would claim thousands of lives every year.

As C-section rates in the U.S. have climbed, however, patients have begun to question whether a C-section is always the safest choice.

In some situations, doctors must rush into a C-section because they waited too long to deliver a baby or because they failed to properly monitor the fetus, leading to a cascade of interventions ending in an emergency procedure. Because emergency C-sections carry a much higher risk than planned cesareans, it’s critical for doctors to adhere to a high standard of care for each and every patient.

Medicine, and especially obstetrics, is unpredictable. In the labor and delivery unit, there are two lives at stake: the mother and the baby. Doctors are not perfect; they are subject to the same errors in judgment as anyone else. When their actions or inactions cause harm to a mother or an unborn child, they must be held responsible for any injuries that result.

At LawMD, our birth injury lawyers help families hurt by medical mistakes during emergency C-sections. If you or your child suffered injuries or complications following an emergency C-section, contact birth injury attorneys to fight for your recovery.

Contact us online or by phone for a free consultation with nationwide Emergency C-Sections lawyers.

Delayed Emergency C-Sections

When an unborn baby is in distress, the clock starts ticking. Doctors and nurses must move quickly to deliver the child so they can stabilize the medical problem causing the distress. In general, obstetricians aim to perform the C-section and deliver the baby within 30 minutes of an identified problem—a timeframe known as “decision to incision.” The more time that passes, the greater the likelihood of long-term damage or fetal or maternal death.

In some cases, however, a doctor waits too long to perform a C-section. Each birth is different, and many factors influence a physician’s decision to move forward with an emergency cesarean, but certain warning signs almost always indicate a need for immediate delivery.

These warning signs include:

  • Fetal distress

When an unborn baby’s heart rate drops, doctors must work quickly to deliver the child to avoid oxygen deprivation, which can lead to severe brain damage.

  • Uterine rupture

Uterine rupture is an extremely dangerous labor complication that can cause death in the mother and the baby due to maternal blood loss and lack of oxygen for the unborn baby.

  • Cord prolapse

The baby receives its oxygen through the umbilical cord. When the cord exits the birth canal before the baby, the baby’s weight can cut off blood flow to the cord, causing brain damage or death.

  • Placenta previa

Placenta previa, which occurs when the placenta covers the cervix, can be diagnosed prior to delivery, but doctors don’t always catch it. During a vaginal birth, placenta previa can cause dangerous bleeding in the mother.

Close-up of the psychiatrist's hand holding the patient's hand. To encourage and comfort the patient.

Why you may benefit from a doctor in your courtroom

  • WE UNDERSTAND YOUR INJURIES, BECAUSE WE’VE LIKELY TREATED THEM.

Most of our physician-attorneys are either current or past treating doctors in, collectively, a wide range of medical specialties. There is a good chance one or more of our physician attorneys have actually treated medical conditions similar to the ones from which you or your loved one now suffers. That translates into care and understanding as your Counselors, and know-how as your Advocates.

  • TIME- AND COST-SAVINGS FOR YOUR CASE

Any honest medical malpractice attorney will tell you that one of the greatest expenses in a medical malpractice case is having to pay physician experts to study the details of the medical issues in your case and, if necessary, provide testimony at deposition and trial. While even our physician attorneys may also need to hire outside medical experts for your case, our medical know-how allows us to perform a significant amount of the medical analysis necessary for your case in-house which may translate into significant savings at the conclusion of your case.

  • RAPID RESPONSE WITH SOLID ANSWERS TO YOUR SERIOUS QUESTIONS REGARDING YOUR CASE

Because we have in-house medical know-how, we can evaluate the medical questions in your case and provide answers without a lengthy wait. Our internal process involves getting the issues in your case quickly in front of the right physician attorney who, based on his or her medical experience and training, is most likely to have the answers you seek about whether you have a case and how we might help you get the compensation you deserve to help secure a brighter future for you and for your loved ones.

Get a free consultation today

Why you may benefit from a doctor in your courtroom. We understand your injuries, because we’ve likely treated them.

Most of our physician-attorneys are either current or past treating doctors in, collectively, a wide range of medical specialties. There is a good chance one or more of our physician attorneys have actually treated medical conditions similar to the ones from which you or your loved one now suffers. That translates into care and understanding as your Counselors, and know-how as your Advocates.

Time and cost-savings for your case.

Any honest medical malpractice attorney will tell you that one of the greatest expenses in a medical malpractice case is having to pay physician experts to study the details of the medical issues in your case and, if necessary, provide testimony at deposition and trial. While even our physician attorneys may also need to hire outside medical experts for your case, our medical know-how allows us to perform a significant amount of the medical analysis necessary for your case in-house which may translate into significant savings at the conclusion of your case.

Rapid Response with solid answers to your serious questions regarding your case.

Because we have in-house medical know-how, we can evaluate the medical questions in your case and provide answers without a lengthy wait. Our internal process involves getting the issues in your case quickly in front of the right physician attorney who, based on his or her medical experience and training, is most likely to have the answers you seek about whether you have a case and how we might help you get the compensation you deserve to help secure a brighter future for you and for your loved ones.

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