At Phillips Law Offices, our experienced Chicago birth injury lawyers often represent families whose lives have been forever changed due to mistakes made by OB/GYNs. These medical professionals play a critical role throughout pregnancy, labor, and delivery — and even a single act of negligence can have lifelong consequences for both mother and child.
Knowing how to identify OB/GYN negligence is essential when you suspect that your doctor failed to provide the level of care you deserved. In Illinois, medical malpractice claims require strong evidence that the OB/GYN’s actions fell below accepted medical standards and directly caused harm. Our attorneys help families uncover the truth behind birth injuries, misdiagnoses, and delivery complications.
Understanding the OB/GYN’s Duty of Care
Every obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) has a legal and ethical duty to provide competent, careful medical care to both the mother and baby. This duty includes:
- Accurate diagnosis of potential complications.
- Proper monitoring of fetal and maternal health.
- Timely intervention when emergencies arise.
- Clear communication with other medical staff.
When an OB/GYN violates this duty through careless decisions, lack of attention, or improper procedures, the results can be catastrophic. Birth injuries like cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, or hypoxic brain damage are often linked to delayed C-sections or poor fetal monitoring — all of which can stem from OB/GYN negligence.
At Phillips Law Offices, our Illinois birth injury attorneys specialize in identifying when such negligence has occurred and building powerful cases for families seeking justice.
Common Types of OB/GYN Negligence
OB/GYN negligence can take many forms. The following are some of the most common ways medical malpractice occurs in prenatal and delivery care.
1. Misdiagnosis or Failure to Diagnose
An OB/GYN must accurately diagnose complications that could affect pregnancy or childbirth. Conditions like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and infections require early detection and proper management. When doctors fail to diagnose these problems, it can lead to premature birth, fetal distress, or even stillbirth.
2. Improper Fetal Monitoring
During labor, constant fetal monitoring is critical to ensure the baby is receiving enough oxygen. If the OB/GYN or nursing staff ignore warning signs — such as irregular heart rate or oxygen deprivation — it can cause severe brain injury or developmental disabilities.
3. Delay in Performing a Cesarean Section
A delayed C-section is one of the leading causes of preventable birth injuries. When fetal distress becomes apparent, the doctor must act immediately. Any delay in making that decision can result in hypoxia, where the baby’s brain is deprived of oxygen for too long.
4. Medication and Anesthesia Errors
OB/GYNs also oversee medication and anesthesia decisions during childbirth. Incorrect dosages or improper administration can lead to complications for both the mother and baby.
5. Negligent Use of Delivery Instruments
Improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors can cause physical trauma such as skull fractures, nerve damage, or internal bleeding. These injuries often leave lifelong effects that could have been prevented with careful handling.
How to Recognize the Signs of OB/GYN Negligence
Many parents don’t realize negligence has occurred until after leaving the hospital. However, several red flags can indicate that your OB/GYN may have made critical mistakes:
- Your baby required emergency resuscitation or intensive care.
- You were not informed of complications during delivery.
- The medical staff delayed critical interventions.
- Your baby has unexplained bruises, fractures, or neurological symptoms.
- The hospital staff seem hesitant to explain what happened.
At Phillips Law Offices, we encourage families to request copies of all medical records, including fetal heart monitoring strips and delivery notes. These documents often reveal whether appropriate medical steps were taken.
Legal Proof Required for an OB/GYN Negligence Case in Illinois
To prove an OB/GYN committed negligence, your attorney must establish four key elements:
- Duty of Care: The OB/GYN had a professional duty to provide competent medical treatment.
- Breach of Duty: The doctor failed to meet that standard of care.
- Causation: The breach directly caused injury to the mother or baby.
- Damages: The injury resulted in measurable harm, such as medical bills, pain, or long-term disability.
In Illinois, an expert medical opinion is required to validate that the doctor’s actions deviated from accepted standards. The team at Phillips Law Offices works closely with top medical experts to analyze every detail of your case and establish strong legal grounds for compensation.
How Phillips Law Offices Investigates OB/GYN Negligence
Our law firm conducts comprehensive investigations into suspected malpractice cases involving OB/GYNs. We:
- Review all prenatal and delivery records to identify mistakes.
- Consult with independent obstetric experts to confirm negligence.
- Gather testimony from nurses, anesthesiologists, and technicians.
- Determine whether the hospital’s protocols were followed correctly.
By piecing together the full picture, our Chicago medical malpractice lawyers hold negligent doctors and institutions accountable for their actions.
The Cost of OB/GYN Negligence
When OB/GYN negligence causes a birth injury, the costs can be overwhelming. Families face mounting medical bills, therapy expenses, and lifelong care needs. The emotional toll is equally severe. At Phillips Law Offices, we fight to recover compensation for:
- Hospital and long-term medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Future rehabilitation costs
- Emotional distress
- Loss of income if parents must stop working to provide care
We understand how devastating these cases can be, which is why we work on a contingency fee basis — you pay no fees unless we win your case.
Why Choose Phillips Law Offices
With decades of experience handling complex birth injury and OB/GYN negligence cases in Chicago and across Illinois, our law firm has built a reputation for excellence and compassion. We treat every client as family, dedicating the full weight of our resources to uncovering the truth and securing maximum compensation.
Our lawyers have successfully litigated cases against hospitals, medical institutions, and physicians who failed to meet professional standards. We are not afraid to challenge powerful healthcare systems when justice is on the line.
Contact Phillips Law Offices Today
If you believe your OB/GYN made a mistake that harmed you or your baby, don’t wait to seek legal advice. Contact the experienced team at Phillips Law Offices for a free consultation today.
📞 Call us at (312) 598-1829
🏢 Visit us at 161 N Clark St, Suite 4925, Chicago, IL
💬 Free Consultation | No Fee Unless You Win
Our compassionate legal team will review your case, explain your options, and fight to ensure your family receives the justice and financial support you deserve.
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