Medical Malpractice Attorneys in Dallas, Texas
When we go to the doctor, we fully trust that they will take good care of us and treat any medical issue we may have. Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals have a great deal of responsibility to the public. When they fail to meet the standard of care that other medical professionals would meet, patients can become seriously injured and suffer from lifelong burdens as a result of this malpractice. If you believe that you are the victim of medical malpractice, it is important to take your legal options into consideration. The attorneys at Brock & Goetzmann have over 50 years of combined experience proudly representing malpractice victims in Dallas and across the area. To discuss your situation with a trusted team of attorneys, contact Brock & Goetzmann today.
Birth Injuries: Cerebral Palsy & Erb’s Palsy
The day a child is born should be an event filled with joy, celebration, and love. When parents find out that their child was injured during delivery, the news can be devastating. When the birth injury could have been prevented, parents should consider their legal options. Birth injuries can occur throughout the birthing process and for many reasons. The two most common types of birth injuries are Cerebral Palsy and Erb’s Palsy.
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy occurs when the complications during pregnancy cause damage to the brain. Most often, Cerebral Palsy is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. Cerebral Palsy has the potential to interfere with the messages between the brain and the body, leading to physical issues, including mental handicaps, impairment of speech, hearing, or sight, problems with walking, seizures, muscle spasm or stiffness, and more. A family could have a valid medical malpractice case for a variety of reasons, including if the doctor:
- Failed to detect and/or treat infections in the mother during pregnancy
- Failed to properly monitor the fetal heart rate before and during labor and birth
- Failed to detect a prolapsed umbilical cord
- Failed to plan, schedule, and/or perform a cesarean section when necessary
- Failed to meet the medical standard when using instruments when performing a delivery
Erb’s Palsy
Erb’s Palsy is the paralysis of the arm caused by an injury to the nerves of the upper arm. Erb’s palsy can be caused by a complicated and difficult birth. In most cases, the shoulder is caught on the mother’s pelvic bone, preventing the baby from exiting the birth canal. It is rare for this to occur, but when it does, it takes skilled and competent obstetricians to take the proper steps. When a medical professional is too forceful in trying to deliver the baby, especially when using the necessary instruments, the fragile nerves of the baby’s shoulder can be compressed, stretched or torn. The effects of Erb’s Palsy can vary. A newborn can recover within months in some fortunate cases. Other times, they may need major surgery to fix the issue. If your child was injured during the birthing process, you should have an attorney examine the factors of your case.
Failure to Diagnose
When a doctor fails to diagnose a disease, you may have serious issues. The first issue is being treated for a disease you don’t suffer from. There are countless horror stories that involve patients who have undergone serious and invasive treatments in order to cure a disease that they never suffered from in the first place. When this happens, patients often suffer further pain. Accordingly, this neglect can easily subject a person to overwhelming medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The next issue is the failure to diagnose the problem. If you have been getting treated for one disease but have another, you face the consequences that occur when a disease goes untreated. A common example is cancer. When a person is treated for something minor or not treated at all, only to allow cancer to continue to grow, his or her life is in grave danger. The longer cancer goes undiagnosed, the harder it may be to survive it. When a doctor fails to diagnose a disease properly, one’s life is affected in terrible ways.
Surgical Errors
Surgical errors are serious problems. However, not all surgical mistakes result in a medical malpractice case. In order for the law to consider a mistake medical malpractice, the surgery must have fallen below the accepted medical standard of care and, in turn, caused you serious injury. Simply put, a surgical error is a preventable mistake that occurs during surgery. Though there is an inherent risk involved in all surgeries, surgical errors go far beyond the known risks. They are unexpected and avoidable. Some of the most common surgical errors that occur include:
- Nerve damage
- Administering too much or too little anesthesia
- Executing an incision in the wrong location
- Leaving surgical equipment inside a patient
- Operating on the wrong part of the body
- Giving the wrong medical treatment to the wrong patient
Medication Errors
Medication has many uses. If you are hurt, it can relieve pain. If you are sick, it can cure you. If you suffer from a long-term problem, it can improve your quality of life. If medical professionals deviate from the standard of care regarding medication, you can be seriously injured. The wrong medication has also been known to kill. Health care providers have a level of care they must satisfy regarding medicating a patient in a variety of medical situations. They must use caution when prescribing, administering, filling, and assessing the medication you take. Unfortunately, medication errors occur regularly at the hands of negligent health care professionals. Some of the most common medication errors include the following:
- Failure to screen for patient risk factors
- Failure to screen for allergic reactions
- Medication mix-ups between patients
- Incorrect dosage
Contact a Dallas, TX Medical Malpractice Attorney
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured by a medical professional, it is important that you discuss your situation with an experienced medical malpractice attorney. While not all mistakes are considered malpractice, it is important to hold medical professionals accountable. Additionally, you may be entitled to compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial burdens that were caused by malpractice. The attorneys at Brock & Goetzmann have over 50 years of combined legal experience proudly representing clients across Dallas when they suffer at the hand of a medical professional. For strong legal representation when you need it most, contact Brock & Goetzmann today.
