Posted on March 21, 2025 in Birth Injury

The term "gaslighting" is usually associated with personal and romantic relationships. It describes a type of psychological manipulation aimed toward making the victim question their reality, perceptions, and sanity. Although medical gaslighting is a newly coined term, it describes a similar dismissiveness by doctors that has existed for a long time. Although a patient shares concerns with the physician, those concerns are dismissed as invalid and unworthy of exploring.

Sadly, women’s concerns are often downplayed. Obstetric gaslighting can cause both birth and maternal injuries. If your healthcare team dismissed your concerns and that dismissal resulted in harm, a skilled Chicago, IL birth injury lawyer can help you substantiate your claim and maximize your compensation.

Are Medical Professionals Biased Against Women?

Historically, women’s complaints about health issues are often brushed off. Alternative explanations, like hormone fluctuations and mental health conditions, are often assumed to be the cause. Men who report similar symptoms are usually taken more seriously.

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 Posted on March 11, 2025 in Maternal Injuries

Natural childbirth is notoriously quite painful. Many expectant mothers prefer to skip the pain by receiving anesthesia through an epidural. Many C-section deliveries also use epidurals. Used in the obstetrics field since as early as 1931, around 75 percent of U.S. women use epidural anesthesia during childbirth. When administered properly, mothers should not have lasting side effects. However, epidural errors can harm both mother and baby.

If your family was harmed by avoidable epidural errors, you could be entitled to compensation. Working with a skilled Cook County, IL maternal injuries lawyer can increase your likelihood of receiving as much as you deserve.

What Are Common Epidural Errors?

Anesthesiologists or certified registered nurse anesthetists are usually responsible for administering and monitoring epidurals. Various mistakes can be made with medication, placement, and monitoring, including:

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 Posted on March 05, 2025 in Birth Injury

Cerebral palsy (CP) is an umbrella term for a group of developmental disorders that affects roughly 1 in 323 U.S. children. Congenital CP cases are the most common, when brain damage affects a baby during pregnancy or childbirth. The effects on children with CP can be mild, moderate, or severe, with some children developing multiple symptoms.

Several known risk factors are associated with CP. Competent medical providers are expected to understand and identify those risks and take extra precautions when they are present. If medical negligence caused your child’s cerebral palsy, you may be entitled to compensation. One of our knowledgeable Chicago, IL birth injury attorneys can evaluate your case and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.

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 Posted on February 28, 2025 in Birth Injury

Expectant parents often daydream about what their child will be like. From imagining playing with your baby to picturing them as they grow, you probably have high expectations for things you can barely wait to see unfold. When your newborn has a birth injury, your excitement can come to a screeching halt as you realize how significantly your life may have changed.

Along with obvious concern for your child, you may be dealing with overwhelming emotional trauma. Mothers are more likely to experience postpartum depression, but fathers can be devastated as well. If your baby’s birth injury is the result of medical negligence, you may be entitled to various forms of compensation. However, you have a much better chance of collecting the maximum amount if you choose a skilled Chicago, IL birth injury attorney to handle your medical malpractice claim.

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 Posted on February 20, 2025 in Maternal Injuries

Sometimes, mistakes can be corrected. Medical errors are often more serious, but some of those can be remedied with proper treatment. A hysterectomy prevents a woman from ever giving birth to more children, and it is irreversible. While some hysterectomies are medically necessary through no fault of your physician, others result from medical negligence.

Along with the expenses and physical pain from this surgical procedure, patients can also suffer emotionally. Your eligible damages will probably be quite high, but that does not mean you will receive everything you are entitled to from the insurer. When you choose one of our dedicated Cook County, IL maternal injury lawyers, we will fight on your behalf to recover the maximum amount of available compensation.

When Might a Hysterectomy Be Indicated?

Many conditions that do not involve medical negligence can indicate the need for a woman’s uterus to be removed through a surgical or laparoscopic hysterectomy. Ovaries and the cervix are often removed, as well. For example, endometriosis, cancer, fibroid tumors, uterine prolapse, and chronic pain or bleeding sometimes require a partial or full hysterectomy. However, providers can also make medical errors that make an unwanted hysterectomy necessary. These negligent errors include:

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 Posted on February 11, 2025 in Cerebral Palsy

As the most common childhood motor disability, cerebral palsy(CP) is a brain disorder that affects muscle control. It can cause speech, vision, intellectual, and hearing impairments. Although some cases of CP are genetic, others result from birth injuries and are, therefore, preventable. While the symptoms differ and can change throughout life, there is no cure for cerebral palsy.

Various adaptive equipment and technologies may be required to help those with CP. The costs of these aids can be extremely high, but if your child’s CP resulted from negligent medical care, a skilled Chicago, IL birth injuries lawyer can help you seek monetary compensation.

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 Posted on February 05, 2025 in Birth Injury

If you have a newborn, your pediatrician, family, and friends will soon be asking about whether your baby smiles yet, can hold her or his head up independently, rolls over, or can accomplish many other significant developmental milestones. You probably plan to keep track of the first time these momentous events occur. But what if the anticipated time passes and your baby still cannot sit, stand, walk, or speak? 

Could these missed milestones indicate a birth injury that went unnoticed until now? Can you still seek compensation? A skilled Chicago, IL birth injury attorney can assess your eligibility for damages and help you pursue the full amount you deserve.

What Kinds of Birth Injuries Can Cause Delayed Development?

There are many birth injuries that can lead to missed developmental milestones, such as:

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 Posted on January 29, 2025 in Birth Injury

Monitoring a fetus during pregnancy, labor, and delivery can give your medical team advance notice of any problems that arise. Early warning enables the possibility of intervening in many cases, potentially saving the baby from preventable harm or death. Unfortunately, improper monitoring can cause birth injuries that have permanent consequences.

What kinds of fetal monitoring are standard practice? What birth injuries could result from improper monitoring? If you believe your child was harmed by improper fetal monitoring, a knowledgeable Chicago, IL birth injury attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.

What Types of Fetal Monitoring Should Be Performed?

Fetal monitoring is used to assess the growth and health of a fetus. While it should be performed for all pregnancies, fetal monitoring is particularly important in a high-risk pregnancy, for example when a mother has gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or other serious risk factors. Along with giving advance notice of fetal distress, monitoring can also help avoid unnecessary treatments.

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 Posted on January 22, 2025 in Birth Injury

Childbirth and welcoming a new baby into the world can be a joyous occasion. Unfortunately, mothers and infants can experience injuries during pregnancy, labor, or delivery that can darken that joy. While some injuries are unavoidable, many are caused by medical negligence, making them preventable.

What are the most common maternal and birth injuries? How do you know if medical negligence was involved? A knowledgeable Cook County, IL birth injury attorney can assess your situation and help you explore your legal options.

What Common Childbirth Issues Can Lead to Injuries?

Healthcare professionals should monitor expectant mothers closely during their pregnancies, looking for potential problems that could endanger them or their unborn babies. As labor begins and progresses, medical providers should remain vigilant, checking for fetal distress and maternal issues. Common problems that occur during childbirth include:

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 Posted on January 13, 2025 in Birth Injury

Expectant mothers today can schedule childbirth, either by C-section or labor induction using Pitocin. This synthetic hormone, which is similar to naturally produced oxytocin, may also be used if a mother’s labor is not progressing as it should. When administered correctly, Pitocin is a valuable aid. However, Pitocin misuse can severely harm both mother and child.

What complications can Pitocin cause? How do I know if my or my child’s birth injuries were caused by Pitocin misuse? Working with a competent Chicago, IL birth injury lawyer greatly increases your chances of a successful outcome for your compensation claim.  

How Is Pitocin Supposed to Work?

A mother’s body produces a hormone called oxytocin during labor to help her prepare for delivery. This hormone causes and increases the intensity of contractions. Administered through an IV, Pitocin is a drug that performs similar functions. Pitocin encourages the mother’s body to produce natural contractions through uterine stimulation.

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