When you hear the words "birth injury," most people assume that the injuries are obvious immediately after the baby is born. But that's not always so.
Here's what parents need to know about birth injuries:
Identifying a birth injury
What good does a lawsuit do after a car accident?
Have you been injured in a car accident through no fault of your own? If so, do you feel guilty about suing the person or persons responsible for your injuries?
You aren't alone. A lot of people feel like they will be perceived as greedy opportunists out to make a "quick buck" off a chance accident. Here's what you need to remember when that line of thought starts to get to you:
Juul accused of causing nicotine addiction in minors
A 15-year-old girl's parents have filed a lawsuit against Juul, the wildly popular e-cigarette company, for causing their daughter's nicotine addiction.
The New York couple isn't alone. At least three such claims have also been filed in New Jersey on the behalf of other young people. All of the lawsuits essentially say the same thing: Juul knowingly targeted young people in its advertising and marketing campaigns. They developed a product that they knew would appeal to teenagers and falsely marketed it as a "safe" alternative to traditional cigarettes.
Manhattan man's family seeks answers in elevator death
The family of a Manhattan man killed in a horrific elevator accident at his luxury apartment complex intends to file a wrongful death lawsuit over their loved one's gruesome death.
In the meantime, however, they're seeking answers. In advance of the wrongful death lawsuit, documents were filed with the court asking that the apartment building's managers and owners preserve any available video evidence or records related to the accident. They also want the maintenance company that serviced the elevator to preserve any records of its services and inspections of the elevator in question.
Your doctor should be on the look out for premature labor issues
When you went to your first prenatal visit, you likely talked to your New York obstetrician about your current health condition. A nurse and your doctor may have measured your baby or, perhaps, let you see your little one on a sonogram screen. Throughout the approximately nine months of pregnancy you will navigate, such discussions, tests and examinations will take place often.
In fact, the closer you get to your due date, the more visits you may have, especially if your doctor considers you high risk for premature labor or other adverse pregnancy issues. An obstetrician is trained to recognize signs of preterm labor and to determine a best course of action to keep mother and baby as safe as possible. If your doctor or another medical team member is negligent, you or your child might suffer injury.
How you know you need a medical malpractice attorney
Did a doctor misdiagnose you? Did a hospital nurse administer the wrong drug to you? Did you end up with a post-surgical infection because some piece of equipment wasn't sterile? Did a tech forget to wash his hands before examining you and leave you with a medication-resistant staph infection (MRSA)?
If so, you may be the victim of medical malpractice -- and you may be feeling pretty traumatized over the experience. You may not even be sure what has happened to you, let alone what sort of legal options you have for recovery.
The worst intersections for cyclists in the Big Apple identified
Are you a cyclist in New York City? Whether you bike for the health benefits, can't afford the price of keeping a car in the city, don't like the hassle of fighting traffic or are concerned about your carbon footprint, you aren't alone. Bicycles are a common sight all over the nation, especially in urban areas.
Unfortunately, a lot of vehicle drivers still don't know how to share the road with cyclists. Partially, it's a lack of experience -- having a lot of bike riders around is a relatively new thing for some drivers. It may also have to do with the same old problems that cause other kinds of accidents: excessive speed, distracted driving and rushing through red lights to avoid stopping at intersections.
Does racism contribute to malpractice in childbirth?
In the last few years, there have been some disturbing revelations about the American medical system -- particularly where childbirth and maternal care are concerned. American women are dying at shocking rates in childbirth. While other developed nations have seen a sharp drop in maternal mortality, it's no longer uncommon for American mothers to die in childbirth or shortly after.
And, if you happen to be a black woman, your odds of dying during childbirth in an American hospital are about the same as if you were giving birth in Uzbekistan. The difference between the mortality rates for black women and women of other races -- not just whites -- is shocking. Around 12 white women out of 100,000 will die in childbirth. For women of other races (except black women), the figure is closer to 18 out of 100,000. However, 40 out of every 100,000 black mothers will die as a result of childbirth complications.
Is police misconduct being shuffled 'under the rug' in New York?
How much do the average citizens of New York know about the police officers who are supposedly serving and protecting them? Not much, really.
Just recently, the New York Police Department (NYPD) finally publicly revealed aggregate data involving police misconduct over a period of two years -- but only after being pushed into doing so by repeated requests from a city councilman and an inquiry by the New York Daily News.
Basic facts about birth injuries
The birth of a baby is an exciting time for a New York family. It should be a time of peace and planning for the future, but it can quickly turn to a time of devastation and confusion if you learn that your baby suffered injuries during the birth process. Birth injuries can change your baby's future, and while you cannot reverse what happened, you can take steps to secure your child's long-term interests.
Birth injuries can range in type and severity. It's probably not immediately clear how your child's injury will affect his or her life, but you do not have to face this uncertainty alone. If the injury your baby suffered was the result of the reckless or negligent actions of a medical professional, you may have grounds for a civil claim.
