Last Updated: Aug 10, 2026
Read Time: 3 mins
Having a baby can be one of the most beautiful events of your life, but if your child is born with an injury, it can become a devastating event in a matter of moments. Some injuries you may be prepared for, while others you may not be. Whether the injury was a birth defect, the fault of the doctor or the fault of the hospital, you may wonder if there’s a personal injury claim in there somewhere. The following gives a brief explanation.
Birth Defect or Birth Injury?
One of the biggest issues that will determine whether you have a case is if the injury is a birth defect or an actual birth injury. Birth defects are typically caused by genetics, and can also be caused by random events during development and pregnancy. The actions of the mother could also result in birth defects. For example, a mother who drank alcohol while pregnant could have a baby with serious defects.
Birth injuries, on the other hand, are typically caused by the negligence of another person or entity. They generally happen at the time of labor and delivery. A birth injury could be the result of improper use of medical tools, an improper technique for delivery, an inattentive doctor or nurse, and a wide range of other situations.
If your baby’s injury is a birth defect, you typically don’t have a personal injury claim. If the injury is a true birth injury and someone is directly responsible for it, you could have a case.
How Do You Prove Negligence?
In order for you to have a case, you’ll need to prove negligence on the part of the individual who caused the injury. While doctors, nurses and other hospital staff are just as human as you are, you trusted those individuals to care for your most precious possession: your child. To prove negligence, there are a few facts you’ll need to secure, including:
- A doctor-patient relationship existed, which means the doctor owed you and your baby a certain duty of care.
- The doctor failed to provide a level of care that any other doctor in that same situation would have provided.
- Your baby was injured because of the doctor’s failure to provide proper care.
- The injuries have caused harm to you, your baby, your financial situation, your emotional state, etc.
Getting Questions Answered
As you face life with a child who has been injured, you don’t have to deal with everything on your own. To get your legal questions answered, contact a personal injury lawyer today.
Patterson Bray
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