Free Case Evaluation
South Carolina Birth Injury Attorneys Representing Victims of Mishandled Premature Births
If medical malpractice caused harm to your preterm infant, our South Carolina lawyers are on your side
Premature babies are at risk for a variety of medical complications. Prematurity generally means that the baby is born before the 39th or 40th week of the pregnancy. Babies born between 24 weeks and 38 weeks can suffer physical disorders, delays in development, and emotional problems. Survival rates for babies born before 24 weeks are tragically low. Mothers who are carrying premature babies usually have to change their lifestyle to maximize the time the baby is in the womb. These lifestyle changes can cause many health concerns for the mother too.
For many years, the South Carolina birth injury attorneys at McGowan, Hood, and Felder, LLC, have been helping children, mothers, and families demand justice for medical errors related to premature births. Our legal team works aggressively to hold obstetricians, gynecologists, hospitals, nurses, midwives, and other healthcare professionals accountable when their medical error causes death or injury. Our experienced lawyers demand payment from wrongdoers for short-term and long-term medical care, and the pain and suffering of the mother and child. We also bring claims for lost wages and wrongful death when appropriate.
Free Case Evaluation
Risk factors for preterm births
Doctors and healthcare providers should be aware of the signs that an infant may be born prematurely. Common prematurity risk factors include:
- Carrying more than one fetus
- A previous premature birth
- Problems with the cervix
- Genital, uterine, or amniotic fluid infections
- Complications from other known pregnancy disorders such as preeclampsia, placental abruption, or gestational diabetes
- The existence of sexually transmitted disease (STD)
- Unusual vaginal bleeding
- Clotting problems
- Being underweight or overweight
- A prior abortion
- Using drugs or alcohol during the pregnancy
If the risks are known, then treatments may be available. If the danger signs are ignored or not investigated, the health care providers may be held liable for any harm that occurs. An experienced birth injury attorney who is familiar with South Carolina laws can help determine if medical negligence is to blame for your child’s illness or injury.
Signs that an infant may be born premature
If a mother goes into preterm labor, doctors may be able to stop the labor. If the labor can’t be stopped, mothers should be treated in a hospital. Some of the indicators that a mother is in preterm labor are:
- Contractions of the uterus that are less than 10 minutes apart
- Menstrual cramps or abdominal cramps
- Vaginal or pelvic pressure
- Excess vaginal discharge
- Vaginal bleeding
Mothers who experience any of these signs should contact a doctor immediately.
Common premature injuries
The problems that the child may develop if a birth is preterm depend on the length of time the child was in the womb. Earlier births pose extreme risks and the possibility of death. Some known complications from early births are:
- Delays in development
- Loss of eyesight or hearing
- Cerebral palsy
- Jaundice
- Breathing difficulties
- Problems in digestion
- Death
In many cases, these complications could have been prevented if the healthcare providers had acted competently and quickly.
How medical malpractice occurs
Medical error in cases of premature births can include:
- Failure to properly examine the risk signs for premature birth
- Failure to treat any signs that do exist
- Failure to order bed rest
- Failure to prescribe steroid injections to help the infant’s development
- Failure to prescribe proper medications
The key requirement that the South Carolina medical malpractice lawyers at McGowan, Hood, and Felder, LLC review is whether the treating doctors failed to comply with local medical standards. Our legal team seeks to show that the doctor failed to do or not do what a reasonable physician with the same skills would have done.
A South Carolina premature birth lawyer is ready to take your call
The South Carolina birth injury attorneys at McGowan, Hood, and Felder, LLC are ready to help you today. Our legal team works with medical professionals to review whether malpractice did occur and how. We recommend doctors who can help treat and minimize any medical problems that a child born preterm suffers. Our lawyers are experienced in fighting against a health care professional or facility’s legal representatives. For help, please call our firm at 803-327-7800 or complete our contact form. We have locations in Anderson, Rock Hill, Columbia, Sumter, and Georgetown.