Premature Delivery Lawsuits

Was Your Child Born Preterm Due to Medical Negligence?

Although the exact timeline has varied through the years, today’s pregnancies are considered full term at 39 weeks. Babies who are born prior to 37 weeks are considered premature and may experience grave problems depending on the development of their lungs, heart, and brain at the time of birth.

At the Law Office of David A. Kates, we are committed to helping families who are facing serious challenges caused by preventable birth injuries. If your child was born early and is experiencing health problems, we can consider whether their premature delivery and resulting injuries are linked to medical malpractice in any way. If so, we can take legal action to hold the at-fault party accountable.

For a free review of your case, call (718) 866-3664. We serve Queens and the surrounding NYC boroughs.

Risk Factors of Premature Birth

In many cases, the precise cause of premature birth is unclear. There are known risk factors associated with an early delivery, however, and your doctor should be able to identify these and address any problems that may arise in order to protect your health and the health of your baby.

The following risk factors have been associated with preterm delivery:

• Pregnancy with twins, triplets, or other multiples
• A previous premature delivery
• Cigarette or drug use during pregnancy
• In vitro fertilization (IVF)
• Maternal diabetes or hypertension
• Amniotic fluid or lower genital tract infection
• Issues with the cervix, placenta, or uterus
• Less than six months between pregnancies
• Multiple previous miscarriages or abortions
• Extreme stress, physical injury, or trauma

Was Malpractice Involved?

Of course, there are instances where a premature delivery has nothing to do with malpractice. Birth injuries also occur in spite of a doctor’s best efforts to provide excellent care. What we are concerned with are incidents when a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional involved in prenatal care, labor, or delivery fails to provide an accepted standard of care.

With premature deliveries, substandard medical care may be linked to the early delivery in the first place, or it may be associated with injuries the premature baby experiences during or after birth. An example may be failing to diagnose severe jaundice, which could lead to brain damage as a result of a condition called kernicterus. Another example may be a failure to diagnose and treat an infection in a pregnant mother, resulting in preterm delivery.

By investigating the circumstances surrounding your child’s premature delivery, Queens birth injury lawyer David Kates can determine whether you have grounds for a valid medical malpractice case.

Find out more by calling (718) 866-3664 or contacting us online.