There is a general misunderstanding among many people that pregnancy and childbirth are not major occurrences in a woman's life, and that the risks associated with both are rather benign.  This could not be farther from the truth.  Conventional childbirth, even with no complications, has a significant amount of risk,. and when the birth process is complicated, and a caesarian section is necessary, the risks increase even further.  

Given the complicated and inherently dangerous nature of childbirth, when doctor and nursing error occurs, the risks to both mother and child increase even further.  Here are few issues to remember regarding medical negligence and birth injury.  

When is a Birth Injury the Doctor’s Fault?

​Giving birth should be a joyous time, but while many births go perfectly smooth, sometimes there are complications. Birth injuries that occur to the mother, or worse, her newborn can be traumatic and life-altering. However, something strange occurs when a birth injury happens. For some strange reason, it leaves new mothers blaming themselves. Was it something they did? Was it something they didn't do while gestating their child? Could they have done it different or better?

The truth is that a birth injury is rarely the fault of the parent and certainly not the child. However, in order to better protect themselves, your doctors may infer that it was something you did or didn't do. Yet, you had nine months to create that new life, and your OBGYN had nine months to figure out the risks, tell you about them, and do everything in their power to mitigate them. If your doctor did none of those things, then no matter what they tell you, they are responsible for your birth injuries.

Whether it was from negligence or pure malpractice, common birth injuries include:
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• Failure to diagnose a condition that resulted in harm to the mother or child
• Failure to take action to prevent harm during long deliveries
• Failure to diagnose birth defects
• Failure to react during dangerous breech birth or umbilical cord entanglement
• Failure to modify vital signs or notice and take action during abnormal factors like respiration of blood pressure

Additionally, the causes for these errors are sometimes more difficult to identify than one would initially think.  The most common medical errors that are difficult to identify in regard to childbirth cases are:

• Failure to Communicate Clearly
• Failure to Follow Correct Procedures
• Equipment or Monitor Failure
• Inadequate or Unclear Healthcare Procedure
• Failure to Adequately Train Hospital Staff
• Overtired Physicians or Understaffing

All of the above can fall into the realms of medical malpractice, but so much more can be considered as part of it as well. If you or your child suffered traumatic injury during the birthing period, contact us today to see what we can do for you.

We have heard the story before.  A car accident happens and there is little damage to either of the vehicles.  What's more, after the accident, the driver of the car that was not at-fault declines to go to the emergency room because her or she feels okay at the time.  Then, days, weeks, or even months later, the accident victim begins to develop headaches, soreness, and pain.  It is called a soft tissue injury and it happens every day across Central Illinois and Champaign County.  

WHIPLASH INJURIES
 
Whiplash injuries can be serious injuries that are frequently caused when an automobile is struck from behind. Whiplash is a neck injury that can occur during rear-end automobile collisions, when your head suddenly moves backward and then forward.  These extreme motions push your neck muscles and ligaments beyond their normal range of motion.
 
Common Misconception About Whiplash Injury
A common misconception about whiplash injury is that if the vehicle does not sustain damage in a low speed impact, then whiplash injury to the occupant does not occur.
In reality, low impact collisions can produce correspondingly higher dynamic loading on the occupants because the lack of crushing metal to absorb the forces results in a greater force applied to items or occupants within the vehicle
Whiplash is an injury to the cervical region of the spine when a great force causes the neck to go beyond its normal range of motion. The spinal vertebrae, ligaments, and muscles may be injured by this force, causing neck pain, headaches, neck stiffness, and/or cognitive difficulties such as dizziness or trouble concentrating. These symptoms may appear immediately or after a few days.
 
Cognitive and higher center dysfunction. In some instances, whiplash may affect the patient's mental functioning, possibly leading to difficulties concentrating, as just one example.
 
Faulty movement patterns. It is believed that the nervous system may change the way in which it controls the coordinated function of muscles as a result of a barrage of intense pain signals from the whiplash injury.
 
Chronic pain. While often resulting in minor muscle sprains and strains that heal with time, more severe whiplash injuries may produce neck pain and other symptoms that are persistent and long-lasting (chronic).
 
Disc herniation. A whiplash accident may injure the discs between the vertebrae, lead to small tears and cause the inner core of the disc to extrude through its outer core. If the disc's inner core comes in contact with and irritates a nearby spinal nerve root, a herniated disc occurs, with symptoms possibly including sharp, shooting pain down the arm and even neurological symptoms like numbness, tingling and muscle weakness.
 
Joint dysfunction. As a result of the whiplash, one of the joints in the spine or limbs may lose its normal resiliency and shock absorption (referred to as the joint play), possibly leading to restricted range of movement and pain.
 
Additional information Regarding Whiplash Injuries
http://www.medicinenet.com/whiplash/article.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/whiplash/basics/definition/con-20033090

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