Birth Injury
Nothing prepares a family for a preventable birth injury, but you don't have to navigate what comes next by yourself.
Despite modern advancements in medical technology, there is still a possibility for complications during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Childbirth requires careful monitoring and timely decision-making from healthcare providers.
In many cases, complications can be anticipated and managed successfully when appropriate standards of care are followed. However, when medical professionals fail to respond appropriately, delays or mistakes during delivery can result in serious injury to both the mother and the newborn.
Birth injuries can have lasting consequences. This can affect a child’s development, mobility, cognitive function, and long-term quality of life. In some cases, these injuries may require lifelong medical care and ongoing support.
At Casey & Devoti, our St. Louis birth injury lawyers represent families in birth injury claims involving preventable medical negligence during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. We work to hold responsible parties accountable while helping families secure the resources needed for long-term care and recovery.
What Are Some Causes of Birth Injuries?
Birth injury medical malpractice cases happen when healthcare providers fail to recognize or respond appropriately to signs of distress or complications during pregnancy or delivery.
While not every complication is preventable, many birth injuries occur because medical professionals fail to follow accepted standards of care or delay necessary intervention.
Common causes of birth injuries include:
- Failure to anticipate or identify potential birth complications, such as fetal position, size, or risk factors during pregnancy
- Failure to properly monitor fetal heart rate, oxygen levels, or other vital signs indicating distress
- Delayed decision-making regarding emergency delivery procedures, including failure to perform a timely C-section
- Improper use of delivery tools such as forceps or vacuum extractors
- Excessive force or traction applied during delivery, leading to nerve or brain injury
- Failure to respond appropriately to signs of oxygen deprivation during labor
- Communication breakdowns between members of the delivery team
In many cases, birth injuries are linked to oxygen deprivation during labor or delivery. This can result in conditions such as cerebral palsy or other neurological impairments.
Determining whether a birth injury was preventable requires a review of medical records, fetal monitoring data, and the timeline of decisions made during labor.
Finding the Right St. Louis Birth Injury Lawyer
At Casey & Devoti, we understand that birth injury cases are not only medically complex but also emotional for families in eastern Missouri and southern Illinois. These cases involve questions about what happened during delivery, whether warning signs were missed, and whether earlier intervention could have changed the outcome.
Our birth injury attorneys work closely with medical experts to evaluate whether healthcare providers met the accepted standard of care during pregnancy and delivery.
We also examine whether proper steps were taken in response to complications and whether delays in treatment contributed to harm.
Throughout the process, we make sure families understand their rights and legal options at every stage of the case.
Damages in Birth Injury Claims
Birth injuries result in long-term or lifelong medical challenges for the child, as well as significant emotional and financial strain on the family.
The purpose of a birth injury claim is to secure compensation that reflects both immediate and future needs associated with the injury.
Depending on the circumstances, damages may include:
- Past, present, and future medical expenses
- Ongoing rehabilitation and therapy costs
- Specialized care, assistive devices, and long-term treatment needs
- Lost wages for parents providing care
- Reduced future earning capacity for the child in severe cases
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and loss of quality of life
- Permanent impairment or disability
In cases involving severe neurological injury, damages may also account for lifelong care planning, including in-home assistance, educational support, and medical supervision.
Each case is evaluated individually based on the severity of the injury and the long-term impact on the child and family.
Medical Malpractice Services at Casey & Devoti
Our legal team handles a wide range of medical malpractice cases, including hospital negligence, surgical errors, medication mistakes, and diagnostic failures.
Birth injury cases can overlap with hospital negligence and obstetric malpractice claims, especially when multiple providers are involved in prenatal care, labor management, and delivery.
We focus on building strong, evidence-based cases that clearly demonstrate how a preventable failure in care led to injury and what should have been done differently.
We Can Help Take Next Steps
If you or your child were injured during pregnancy, labor, or delivery, the St. Louis birth injury attorneys at Casey & Devoti are available to review your situation and help you understand your legal options.
Many families are unsure whether what occurred qualifies as medical malpractice or a birth injury claim. A review of medical records and delivery circumstances can help clarify whether the standard of care was met.
We are committed to helping families understand their rights and pursue accountability through detailed investigation, compassionate guidance, and experienced legal advocacy.
Schedule a consultation today to learn more about your options and next steps.
About Birth Injury Claims
FAQs
A birth injury is harm suffered by a baby or mother during pregnancy, labor, or delivery, often caused by medical negligence or failure to properly monitor complications.
Birth injuries may result from delayed C-sections, failure to monitor fetal distress, improper use of delivery tools, or failure to respond to complications during labor.
Common injuries include cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injuries, oxygen deprivation, fractures, and other conditions caused by complications during delivery.
These cases often require detailed review of medical records, fetal monitoring data, and expert medical testimony to determine whether proper standards of care were followed.
Our team is ready to assist you.
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Serving clients across Missouri and Illinois from their St. Louis office, Casey & Devoti handles serious personal injury, medical malpractice, automotive crash, and workers’ compensation cases with focused experience and individualized attention.