Welcoming a newborn into the world is such an amazing time in a parent's life. However, from pregnancy to the delivery room, there's the underlying risk of a birth injury. Birth injuries, also known as birth trauma, are when the baby suffers a physical injury simply as a result of being born.

While there are numerous issues that could lead to an injury like a narrow birth canal or the use of medical tools in the delivery room, there are times where injuries can be prevented. That is when parents may want to consider the help of a birth injury lawyer.

1. Your doctors failed to deliver proper care.

When going to your gynecologist or obstetrician during your pregnancy, you are entrusting that these medical professionals are providing the best possible care to you and your child. However, birth injuries have resulted from a lack of quality care leading up to childbirth that may have led to complications in the delivery room. For example, issues with the umbilical cord may have gone unnoticed in the ultrasound that caused a lack of oxygen to the fetus. This could lead to significant issues with the newborn's organs, including permanent brain damage.

Schwaner Injury Law, a top Chicago birth injury attorney firm, has helped to build medical malpractice cases against physicians who ignored warning signs for expectant mothers and their babies that have led to medical conditions or other issues. In some situations, doctors failed to provide oversight for mothers dealing with other issues like hypertension or gestational diabetes. This led to complications in the delivery process, even fetal distress, because of medical negligence.

2. There were issues with your C-section.

While C-sections account for roughly a third of all births, birth injuries can stem from the procedure. While most Cesarean sections are performed safely, there are risk factors. In certain situations, the newborn may suffer a cut or laceration from the use of tools in the operating room. These superficial cuts are among more common birth injuries that will heal over a brief amount of time. However, if a C-section is not done properly, it could lead to serious injury, even amputation of fingers, which is grounds for a personal injury lawsuit.

Oxygen-related injuries have also been known to occur if the C-section occurs too late in the delivery process. This short-term loss of oxygen can lead to development delays for your newborn. A child delivered prematurely via cesarean can also have issues with their organ development, which can potentially lead to brain damage brought on by a lack of oxygen. In rare cases, severe birth injuries during a C-section can lead to the death of the infant, giving grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit with the help of a birth injury attorney.

3. Medical expenses are stacking up.

Legal action does not have to happen directly after the birth of a child. However, you have to keep in mind the statute of limitations that varies across the United States. Be sure to reach out to a law firm as early as possible to determine the best time to pursue your birth injury case. This may be in the best interest of parents whose child has suffered a permanent brain injury at childbirth.

For example, if your child was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a birth injury lawsuit against the medical staff at a hospital or on your prenatal care team could help to cover a litany of medical bills. Those medical errors may have also lead to refurbishments and accommodations to your home because of your child's cerebral palsy diagnosis. A birth injury attorney can provide you with legal advice on delivering this case, with demonstrations of the failing of a care team through you or your child's medical records.