I was surprised by the data. My research revealed that more people in Minnesota and throughout the U.S. are in need of a birth injury attorney than what I previously knew.
Statistics show that 1 out of every 9,714 people in the U.S. are born with a birth injury, this calculates out to 28,000 birth injuries per year, 2,333 birth injuries per month, 538 birth injuries, per week and 76 birth injuries per day.
Statistics also show that a majority of these birth injuries occur at public hospitals with less staff and bedding. A 2000 report published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that 4.33 of every 1000 birth injuries occurred in for-profit, profit private hospitals, while 7.15 out of every 1000 birth injuries occurred at private non-profit hospitals. In addition, this same report found that 6.11 out of every 1000 birth injuries occurred in public hospitals. And that 5.53 out of every 1000 birth injuries occurred at hospitals with 100 beds or less, as compared to 5.45 out of every 100 birth injuries at hospitals with 100 to 200 beds.
These statistics suggest a significant quality of care disparity between mothers who give birth to children at public as opposed to private hospitals, a disparity which may disproportionately affect minorities and people of color.
Moreover, what makes these statistics most unsettling is that birth injuries, in many cases, are preventable. The most common types of preventable birth injuries are due to:
- Pulling and/or twisting the infant improperly during the delivery period
- Improper handling and use of birth-assisting tools, such as forceps or a vacuum extraction tool
- Administering the wrong amount or the wrong type of medication to the mother during pregnancy and during labor
- Failure to monitor the infant properly for distress, including failure to regularly monitor fetal heartbeat
- Failure to schedule and perform an emergency cesarean surgery (C-section).
At the Magna Law Firm, we are Minnesota licensed birth injury attorneys who have achieved success in helping women that have given birth to children that have died, or sustained an injury because of medical malpractice. You can listen to the story of one such woman by viewing the video below.
If you or someone you know has given birth to a child with a birth injury and you suspect medical malpractice. Please contact at our law firm at 763-438-3032 for a free case evaluation.
