Newborn drops and falls are an unfortunately common health hazard at medical facilities and can leave your infant suffering serious birth injuries.
After nine long months of pregnancy, you will likely want to spend lots of time holding your baby in the hours after they are born. As this is an important time to bond, healthcare providers should encourage it while also taking the necessary precautions. There will be times when your nurses will need to take your infant, whether to conduct routine tests or to allow you time to recuperate. Unfortunately, it is during these first few days that newborn drops and falls are most likely to happen, leaving your child with potentially serious injuries.
Newborn Drops and Falls Common Cause of Birth Injuries
At the Eisen Law Firm, we represent families in cases where infants or their mothers suffer serious personal injuries, either over the course of pregnancy, during labor and delivery, or in the hours and days after birth. It is common for new parents to be cautious around their baby and many joke about worrying that they will drop them. Unfortunately, this is a very real concern and one that has nothing to do with your abilities as a parent.
As experienced Ohio birth injury attorneys, we know that newborn drops and falls often occur due to the negligence of medical providers. These types of newborn accidents are common in hospitals, birthing facilities, and doctor’s offices and frequently happen as a result of the following:
- Failure to properly monitor the mother after delivery: Medical providers need to be alert for weakness or other complications in the mother post-delivery and medication side effects that could make her more likely to fall or drop her infant;
- Failure to maintain the premises: Wet floors, torn carpeting, and cluttered hallways all make slips and falls more likely among both hospital nurses and patients;
- Failure to give their full attention to patients: Being a medical provider is a demanding job, whether you are a doctor, nurse, or diagnostic technician. However, these workers owe a duty to their patients to give them the attention and care they deserve. When they allow themselves to become too busy or distracted in tasks, newborn drops and falls are more likely to happen.
Filing a Birth Injury Claim Due to Newborn Drops and Falls
When an infant is dropped or the person holding them falls, potentially severe birth injuries can occur as a result. This is true regardless of how far the infant fell or whether they struck a hard surface. Even being dropped into their hospital bassinet too roughly can cause broken bones, nerve damage, injuries to the spinal cord or column, and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
If you suffered a slip and fall accident in the hospital or suspect your infant was dropped, it is important to speak with an experienced birth injury attorney right away. We can investigate the circumstances, obtaining statements from medical providers while gathering other evidence, all of which can be used in filing a birth injury claim.