Caput Succedaneum Malpractice

The birth of a child is supposed to be one of the happiest times in a parent’s life. However, it can quickly become terrifying if your child has suffered a birth injury resulting in brain damage or other harm. If you believe that your baby suffered injury due to caput succedaneum malpractice, we may be able to help. At Arfaa Law Group, our knowledgeable Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys will strongly advocate for your rights through each and every stage of the legal journey. We know you have enough to worry about so we will try our very best to make the legal process as seamless as possible for you.

Before delivery, membranes inside of a pregnant person’s womb lightly keep the child’s head in place and the amniotic fluid offers a cushion. If these membranes break and the quantity of fluid is reduced, it can cause the baby’s head to push on the uterus or the walls of the birth canal, which can lead to caput succedaneum. Caput succedaneum is severe swelling that involves the scalp of the newborn, and is caused by pressure on the head. Put another way, caput succedaneum refers to the serious swelling of a newborn’s scalp caused by vaginal pressure during headfirst deliveries. If the swelling does not subside within a few days, serious and sometimes permanent brain injury can result.

Caput succedaneum is one of the most common birth injuries and is often caused by the following: a woman’s water breaking too soon; abnormally low amniotic fluid; a long and difficult labor that requires the mother to spend a prolonged amount of time pushing; and/or difficult deliveries in which the physician uses forceps or vacuum extraction techniques to help the birth.

Sadly, caput succedaneum is often the result of medical malpractice. Establishing medical malpractice normally means demonstrating that a physician or hospital did not provide the standard of care that a patient ought to reasonably expect to receive, and that this failure to use the appropriate standard of care was the direct cause of patient injury. For example, the doctor may have used too much force with a vacuum or forceps, causing caput succedaneum injuries. To prevail in a medical malpractice case under Maryland law, the plaintiff must establish the following elements by a preponderance of the evidence:

1. The doctor had an obligation to adhere to the accepted standard of care when treating the patient;
2. The doctor violated this obligation by providing substandard treatment;
3. The doctor’s violation was a direct cause of the caput succedaneum and the baby’s resulting injuries.

It is important to note that each and every one of the aforementioned elements must be demonstrated before any compensation can be recovered from the at-fault party. A seasoned malpractice lawyer can evaluate whether the facts of your case may be able to fulfill these elements.

A baby who suffers brain damage due to caput succedaneum malpractice may have to deal with the consequences of such damage for the rest of his or her life. Depending on the severity, the child may suffer from hearing impairment, developmental delays or even cerebral palsy. Medical care and educational costs for children with brain damage are extremely high, and you should not have to bear the financial burden alone. We will fight aggressively for you in pursuing the full and fair compensation for things like your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and compensation for any treatment or care that your child may require now or in the years to come.

Birth injuries can lead to tragic and lifelong injury. If your child has been injured due to the negligence of a medical professional, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your harm. At Arfaa Law Group, our trusted Baltimore lawyers understand how to navigate even the most complex medical malpractice claims. With years of experience, we provide personalized and detail oriented representation to every client. For a free case evaluation, please call us today at 410-889-1850 or contact us online.