The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a recent summary of pregnancy-related deaths from 2008-2017 (1). The data summarized was voluntarily given to the CDC by 14 Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) across the country. In an effort to understand the incidence of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S., these committees reported a vast amount…
Recent research suggests that nurses may be more likely to make medication errors around the time they receive phone calls. Christopher P. Bonafide and colleagues recently published a study (1) in JAMA Pediatrics, focused on mobile telephone interruptions in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This study included 257 nurses and 3308 patients, and considered…
Each birth injury case is unique. However, there are specific types of errors and forms of medical malpractice that appear frequently in these lawsuits. These include the following: Failing to provide proper fetal monitoring It is very important that medical professionals evaluate the baby’s wellbeing throughout pregnancy as well as during the birthing process. This…
In most legal cases, lawyers receive some form of payment for their services. However, in a contingency fee agreement, the lawyer’s payment depends (i.e. is “contingent”) upon the case being successful. In other words, lawyers are only paid when they get settlements or verdicts for their clients. If they do not obtain compensation for their…
A recent New York Times investigation revealed shocking rates of mortality in children who underwent pediatric heart surgery at North Carolina Children’s Hospital, which is part of the University of North Carolina (UNC) health system. The exposé (1), written by Ellen Gabler and published on May 31st, 2019, details how UNC higher-ups repeatedly dismissed cardiologists’…
In September of 2017, famed tennis star Serena Williams experienced shortness of breath during her recovery from the C-section delivery of her daughter, Alexa (1). Because she had a history of blood clots, she assumed it was a pulmonary embolism, and chased down a nurse to ask for a CT scan and IV heparin. The…
A recent story in HuffPost entitled “Why Are We Still Cutting Women’s Vaginas During Birth?” tells the story of a woman named Rachel who experienced an episiotomy during childbirth (1). An episiotomy is an incision made to the perineum, the area between the vaginal opening and the anus, to aid in delivery (2). Rachel heard…
Rebekah “Moani” Daniel was a labor and delivery nurse at the Naval Hospital Bremerton. When it came time to give birth herself, she arranged to do so at that same military hospital. Shockingly, the 33-year-old servicemember bled to death shortly after delivering her daughter, Victoria. Her husband, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Commander Walter Daniel, believed…
In talking to potential clients, we’ve noticed a few common misperceptions people have about birth injuries and medical malpractice lawsuits. On this page, we attempt to clear some of those up. If you have any questions about birth injuries, our firm, or the legal process, please feel free to contact us at any time! Free Case…
Did you know that there are three stages of labor? It’s true. The first stage of labor refers to the period between the onset of labor and the point when a woman’s cervix is dilated to 10 centimeters; the second stage is the period between when the woman’s cervix is dilated to 10 centimeters and…
