Washington Obstetrical Malpractice Attorneys
Protecting Mothers and Babies from Inadequate Care in Washington
From the moment a woman discovers she’s going to have a baby, the OB/GYN plays a huge role in her life. An OB/GYN provides guidance and support during pregnancy, making sure the mother is getting the right medical care.
During labor, an OB/GYN leads the delivery room team. The OB/GYN must be ready to react to changing circumstances and take immediate action to protect both mother and child from harm.
When it comes to looking after the mother’s prenatal health and ensuring a safe delivery, there’s no room for error. If the OB/GYN makes a careless mistake, it may result in serious injury or death for the mother or the child. And catastrophic birth injuries rob your child of a healthy life, requiring a lifetime of costly medical treatment.
An OB/GYN has a serious responsibility to protect the mother and the child. If you or your child was harmed by obstetrical malpractice in Washington, you might not know where to turn for help. Our experienced Washington birth injury attorneys at Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. have won record-breaking settlements for our clients in obstetrical malpractice cases. We practice in Washington courts.
Call (877) 433-3906 to learn more today.
What Is Obstetrical Malpractice?
An obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) is a medical doctor who specializes in pregnancy, childbirth, and female reproductive health. It’s their job to make sure the mother receives first-rate medical care during pregnancy and a flawless performance in the delivery room.
Obstetric malpractice results when an OB/GYN makes a reckless decision that harms the mother or the child. To prove that obstetrical malpractice has occurred, your medical malpractice lawyer must demonstrate that the OB/GYN’s actions were negligent. That means they failed to uphold the standard of care by committing and error that a reasonably careful doctor would not have made under the same circumstances.
Obstetrical malpractice may occur when the OB/GYN fails to detect or treat the following serious medical conditions during pregnancy:
- A detached placenta
- Fetal distress
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Maternal bleeding
- Umbilical cord complications
- Uterine infection
- Chorioamniotic membrane separation
Caring for the Mother and Child
It’s the OB/GYN’s job to make sure the mother is getting the appropriate care during pregnancy. That means conducting regular office visits where advanced technology such as ultrasound is used to monitor the baby’s progress.
The OB/GYN will also advise the mother on important health matters such as diet and keep a close eye on how she’s doing. If the OB/GYN detects signs of a high-risk pregnancy, special precautions must be taken. For example, preeclampsia is a type of high blood pressure that may cause serious health issues for pregnant women.
If the OB/GYN discovers maternal preeclampsia, special care must be provided to ensure the mother’s safety. Other signs of a high-risk pregnancy that an OB/GYN should prepare for include:
- Thyroid disease
- Multiple births
- Tuberculosis
- Autoimmune diseases
- Under 17 years old
- HIV-positive
- Diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Overweight
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (POCS)
- High blood pressure
- Over 35 years old
Preventing Obstetrical Malpractice
Hospitals are required to make sure their employees have proper training to prevent birth injuries. It’s also essential to put procedures in place that eliminate miscommunication and other types of delivery room errors that could have tragic consequences.
Everyone on the delivery team may be held accountable for mistakes that harm mothers and their babies. Common errors include:
- Failure to identify signs of fetal distress
- Failure to perform a timely C-section
- Failure to attempt to resuscitate a fetus
- Improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors
- Medication errors
- Anesthesia errors
- Failure to conduct essential prenatal test
- Failure to review the mother’s medical history
- Failure to sterilize equipment
Obstetrical Malpractice Harms Mothers and Infants
Obstetric negligence can have serious consequences for the mother or the child. If the mother does not receive the proper care, these consequences may result:
- Strokes
- Heart failure
- Hemorrhaging
- Blood clots
- Wrongful death
Babies are so precious. That’s why the OB/GYN and other medical professionals must be vigilant about preventing mistakes that may occur during the prenatal period or in the delivery room. The stakes are too high to allow a child to suffer unnecessary harm. Obstetrical malpractice can have devastating consequences, including:
- Physical, developmental, and cognitive impairment
- Brain damage
- Brachial plexus injury
- Cerebral palsy
- Nerve damage
- Bone fractures
- Cephalohematoma
- Spinal cord damage
- Wrongful death
Have a Washington Lawyer on Your Side
Obstetrical malpractice causes tremendous suffering. It also creates astronomical medical bills. But you shouldn’t have to pay for another person’s careless mistake.
Our Washington obstetrical malpractice attorneys at Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. are leaders in the medical malpractice field. We’ve been recognized for excellence by our peers and ratings agencies such as Super Lawyers and Martindale-Hubbell® Top Rated Lawyers.
If you were harmed by obstetrical malpractice, we’ll file a claim to help you get the money you need to start putting your life back together.
Call (877) 433-3906 to schedule a free consultation. At Leventhal Puga Braley P.C., we won’t charge you anything unless we win your case.
Great Trial Lawyers Obtaining Unparalleled Results
303-759-9945 
877-433-3906