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South Carolina Obstetrical Malpractice Attorneys Defending Your Rights
Fighting for mothers, children, and families when OB/GYNs make mistakes
The birth of a newborn should be one of the sweet joys of life. Mothers expect that the obstetricians who take care of them—from the first office visit through labor and post-delivery—will be professional at every stage. Sadly, some doctors fail to comply with local medical standards. Some hospitals, midwifes, and nurses are also negligent in their care. When harm to a baby or infant happens because of medical malpractice, you have the right to hold wrongdoers accountable.
At McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, our South Carolina obstetrical malpractice lawyers understand the medical care that is required. For more than 20 years, we have been fighting when medical malpractice causes a mother or child physical harm, birth defects, or even death. Our firm, staffed with nearly 20 lawyers, has a record of success. Trust us to use our skill in your case.
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Types of pregnancy malpractice
Malpractice can cause harm for many reasons. Some of the many kinds of medical negligence cases our South Carolina OB malpractice lawyers handle include:
- Delay of medical treatments. Medical treatments during the delivery process must be timely. Many medical problems can be remedied, but only if the treatment is given in time. Doctors should anticipate the problems that are known to occur, such as fetal distress and the need for a C-section.
- Medication errors. Doctors who prescribe the wrong medication, order dosages that are too strong or too weak, or prescribe drugs that are known to have dangerous side effects should be held accountable. Physicians must also take a full history of the mother's prescription list to protect against dangerous interactions with other medications.
- Testing errors. These can include misreading ultrasound tests, blood work results, and other necessary pregnancy tests. It also includes failing to order the right follow-up tests if the initial results are abnormal.
- Failure to monitor the baby and mother during the delivery. This includes misreading the fetal monitoring strip and failing to monitor both mom and child after the baby has been delivered.
- Failure to diagnose and treat placental abruption. If the mother's placenta pulls away from her uterus, medical treatment is necessary to prevent the mother from suffering blood loss and to make sure the child gets the oxygen and nutrients it needs.
- Failure to diagnose and treat placenta previa. Placenta previa occurs during the pregnancy when the placenta covers the cervix. The amount of coverage, the amount of bleeding in the mother, the gestational age of the child, and other factors are used to determine what care should be given. Improper care can cause serious health problems for the mother and child.
- Failure to diagnose and treat gestational diabetes. Women who develop diabetes during pregnancy are at risk for pre-eclampsia, Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes in subsequent pregnancies. The infants who try to rid their body of the excess blood sugar may suffer brachial plexus injuries, respiratory disorders, and other problems.
- Failure to diagnose and treat pre-eclampsia. Preeclampsia is a common condition in pregnancies. There are many well-known symptoms. Complications can include placenta abruption, seizures, oxygen loss, HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet count), and other health issues.
- Midwife negligence. Having a midwife deliver the baby has many risks. The midwife may not be properly trained, may fail to advise mothers that their pregnancy really requires a hospital stay. Midwifes are often not equipped to handle emergencies. Complications can include cerebral palsy, stillbirth, postpartum bleeding, and other dangers to mother and child.
Other medical malpractice issues our firm handles include the possibility of Erb's Palsy, infant resuscitation errors, vaginal delivery mistakes and more.
Speak with a South Carolina OB malpractice attorney now
Doctors, hospitals, and other health providers will fight to argue that harm could not be avoided and that they used all the care they could. You need an experienced birth negligence lawyer who has the resources and skills to fight for you. The South Carolina labor negligence lawyers at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, understand how to prove medical negligence. We work with medical professionals who understand the pre-labor, delivery, and post-labor medical issues. For help today, please call 803-327-7800 or complete our contact form to schedule a free case evaluation. We have offices conveniently located in Anderson, Rock Hill, Columbia, Sumter, and Georgetown.