New York City Umbilical Cord Entrapment Attorneys

NYC Birth Injury Lawsuits Protect Victims of Umbilical Cord Injuries

The umbilical cord is the lifeline for a developing child in the womb. The umbilical cord carries blood, oxygen, and nutrients from mother to child and back again. A fetus cannot survive or adequately develop without the healthy function of the umbilical cord. Unfortunately, umbilical cord injuries and complications can occur during pregnancy, threatening the development and life of the child. Prenatal medical professionals are trained to detect these conditions and remedy them. Failure of a physician to take appropriate action when these conditions occur is a type of medical negligence.

If your child has suffered injury or died due to umbilical cord complications, you may be able to pursue compensation for certain damages. Doctors and medical facilities carry extensive malpractice insurance policies and their insurers employ armies of attorneys who try to diminish their party’s liability in malpractice claims. In order to secure the settlement you and your family deserves, you will need the representation of an experienced New York City birth injury attorney.

Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP has been successfully representing birth injury victims and their families for over 50 years. Call us today at (212) 986-7353 for a free consultation.

What Are Some Types of Umbilical Cord Injuries?

Umbilical cord complications can cause fetal distress in several ways, including:

Nuchal cord: When the umbilical cord becomes wrapped around the fetus’s neck. This can cut off the air supply to the brain, resulting in brain damage and possible strangulation.
Cord compression: This occurs when blood flow through the umbilical cord is impeded for some reason. This could be a knot in the cord or the cord becoming pinched between mother and fetus. This can result in developmental impairment of the child.
Cord prolapsed: This occurs when the umbilical cord descends into the birth canal during labor and becomes pinched, resulting in restricted blood flow in the cord. This puts both the mother and the child at risk if uncorrected.

What Are Treatment Options for Umbilical Cord Issues?

When a delivery doctor recognizes an issue with the umbilical cord, they can take several steps to remedy the problem. These steps may include:

Performing a Cesarean section delivery
Administering oxygen and IV fluid to compensate for the reduced amount the fetus is getting
Turning the mother on her side to relieve the compression of the cord
Temporarily stopping contractions and allowing the child to recover its heart rate and breathing
Manually unwrapping the umbilical cord from the child's neck
Delivery by forceps or vacuum method

What Compensation May Be Available for Umbilical Cord Injuries?

If your child has suffered an umbilical cord injury, they may face a lifetime of difficulties. A medical malpractice settlement can help pay for such costs as:

Future medical treatments
Special schooling
Assisted living care
Household and vehicle modifications
Lost income if a parent has to stop working to care for the child
Pain and suffering

In the unfortunate case where an umbilical cord injury results in the death of a child, these wrongful death damages may apply:

Funeral and burial expenses
Pain and suffering of the deceased before they died
Medical bills incurred before death

Free Consultation with a New York City Birth Injury Attorney

At Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, wehope you never need our services, rest assured our NYC fetal distress lawyers will be there if you should ever need us. Just call (212) 986-7353 for a free consultation.