When a Doctor Fails to Inform the Parents...
Can a birth be wrongful? In most cases, a baby's birth is an extraordinary and happy event in a family's life. There are times, however, when a baby is brought into the world for a short and painful life from a disease or condition that was predictable. At the O'Connor, Parsons & Lane L.L.C. law firm in Westfield and Chatham, New Jersey, our attorneys have helped parents obtain the compensation necessary to care for a baby who has no options in a life of pain, severe retardation, and/or profound medical problems.
Medical Malpractice Attorney ∙ Wrongful Birth
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Wrongful birth is rare, but when it happens, the family and the baby can face a horrific future. Often the baby lives a normal life expectancy with catastrophic impairment, leaving the family to suffer the consequences of a wrongful birth and then the death of a dearly loved child.
- When a doctor does not fully advise parents of test results, the parents are deprived of the choice to terminate the pregnancy or the ability to prepare for a disabled infant.
- If the medical lab fails to perform the appropriate tests or fails to report the results, the laboratory may be the cause of a wrongful birth.
- If the doctor fails to read test results properly and does not advise parents of a condition that could prepare them to care for the infant or make the choice to terminate the pregnancy, the result could be a wrongful birth.
Contact the Attorneys of O'Connor, Parsons & Lane for Immediate Help with your Birth Injury Case
In one case, a mother took the precaution of going to a specialist to determine if her fetus had a rare genetic disorder. The medical testing company failed to do the test and the doctor failed to notice the omission. The baby was born with myotubular myopathy, a disease that means round-the-clock care and an early death. The jury awarded $28 million.
No caring parent can easily make heartbreaking decisions about bringing a severely disabled child into the world or terminating a pregnancy. The mother and father do have the right to know the facts — and doctors and medical labs have a responsibility to test and inform. Fetal tests can determine a number of profound disorders:
- Myotubular myopathy
Occuring in three forms of varying severity and symptoms, myotubular myopathy is a rare muscle-wasting disorder that can be present from birth.
- Tay-Sachs disease
A genetic trait that can detected before birth, infants with Tay-Sachs Disease are missing necessary enzymes, and as a consequence, fatty proteins build up, impairing sight, hearing, movement, and mental development
- Cystic fibrosis
An inherited disease that is not always easily detected, Cystic Fibrosis causes a build-up of mucus that affects the lungs and digestive system.
- Down syndrome (trisomy 21)
Caused by extra genetic material, Down Syndrome can be detected before birth and often leads to mental retardation.
- Edwards syndrome (trisomy 18)
Detectable before birth, Edward's Syndrome is caused by an extra chromosome, and results in severe physical abnormalities and, in most cases, death within a year.
- Patau syndrome (trisomy 13)
Patua Syndrome causes severe mental and physical abnormalities; it is caused by an extra chromosome and is detectable during pregnancy
- Spina bifida
Occuring in several types of varying severity, the causes of Spina Bifida are unclear, though there are a number of tests that can aid in diagnosis.
If you think you may have a wrongful birth case, contact the Attorneys of O'Connor, Parsons & Lane today
At the O'Connor, Parsons & Lane L.L.C. law firm in Westfield and Chatham, New Jersey, you can count on responsive attorneys who provide the attention and experience your case needs. The sooner we talk to you, the sooner we can take action on your behalf.
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