Did your baby’s broken or compressed umbilical cord cause a birth injury? Wagner Reese, LLP’s birth injury attorneys have the experience and skills to assist you. Our Indiana birth-related injury lawyers have a reputation for holding doctors and medical facilities liable for birth injuries. If you have a strong case caused by a subpar standard of care, our birth injury lawyers could help you receive compensation for your medical bills, lost earnings, and more.
Wagner Reese birth injury attorneys have received many accolades and awards for their excellent legal results. Many of our law firm’s lawyers are members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which is an honor that only 1% of practicing lawyers receive.
Additionally, our distinguished law firm was named to The Best Lawyers in America© by Best Lawyers® lists in 2022 and 2024. Our awards and recognition show how successful our legal team is in fighting for financial justice for our clients. Talk to one of our birth injury lawyers today to learn about legal options in your umbilical cord avulsion case.
The Importance of the Umbilical Cord During Birth
The umbilical cord is essential to the baby’s health during pregnancy and childbirth. The umbilical cord is a tube that provides oxygen and critical nutrients to the fetus through the placenta. It also removes waste from the fetus’ circulatory system.
The umbilical forms during the fourth week of pregnancy and is usually about 20 inches long and one inch wide. During delivery, the cord has to be positioned correctly, or the infant could be at risk of brain damage or even death. A common birth injury is the umbilical cord being compressed or broken during delivery. This is a medical emergency because it reduces the oxygen flow and blood given to the baby.
How Umbilical Cord Avulsion Happens
Cord avulsion is another term when the umbilical cord ruptures, tears, breaks, or compresses during labor. Problems such as umbilical cord knots, vas previa, and cord prolapse increase the chances of avulsion.
Potential Complications When the Umbilical Cord Breaks
If the umbilical cord is severed during birth, how the doctor reacts and how quickly impacts the outcome. Your baby could suffer various injuries from the lack of oxygen, such as defects in the heart, improper physical development, and cognitive or neurological issues, such as cerebral palsy.
The most common sign of a broken umbilical cord is during labor, and there is excessive vaginal bleeding. The doctor should immediately investigate where the bleeding is coming from—the child or mother. The mother can lose a small amount of blood without effect, but it could be dangerous for the infant and could result in brain injury or death.
Fast detection and treatment of the broken umbilical cord often allow the baby to be delivered successfully without complications. However, if the doctor was negligent and did not provide timely and effective care, you should speak to a Wagner Reese birth injury lawyer for more information.
How to File an Umbilical Cord Birth Injury Lawsuit
There are several steps to a successful umbilical cord birth injury lawsuit. During this process, your Wagner Reese attorney will be your dedicated advisor. They will handle everything so you can focus on you and your baby:
- Free legal consultation: Our attorney will review your case at no charge. You don’t need a birth injury diagnosis for this evaluation. We will listen to what happened and determine if malpractice may have been involved.
- Collecting evidence: If your case has merit, your attorney will begin gathering evidence to prove medical malpractice.
- Filing a lawsuit: Your lawyer will file the claim after all key malpractice evidence is collected.
- Settlement negotiations: If the doctor or medical facility was negligent, your attorney will attempt to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company.
- Going to trial: If there is no settlement, your attorney will take the case to court and argue that the healthcare provider or facility caused your child’s birth injury.
Our Indiana Birth Injury Attorneys Are Ready to Assist
If you had a baby recently who suffered from umbilical cord avulsion, it’s understandable to wonder if someone is responsible for the incident. Medical malpractice is the frequent cause of many birth injuries, so having an attorney review your case could be critical to your and your baby’s future.
Wagner Reese, LLP is a proud and passionate advocate for all Indiana injury victims, including injured infants. Our lawyers are ready to fight for the maximum compensation for your medical bills and other losses. If your baby’s umbilical cord was broken or compressed, they could have epilepsy, cerebral palsy, vision or hearing loss, or various cognitive disabilities. If someone was at fault, they should be held accountable in a lawsuit.
When you contact Wagner Reese, our attorneys will gather information about your case and review your legal options at no charge. Contact our birth injury attorneys today at (866) 824-6380.
