Detroit’s Maternal Mortality Rate Rivals that in Third World Countries

Detroit is a city with its fair share of problems, the most recent of which may be the high rate of death in birthing mothers. A recent article by Michigan Radio reports that the rate of death among birthing mothers is equal to or greater than some third-world countries, such as Vietnam and Libya.

The article argues that the causes of the high death rate among birthing mothers is the incredibly high rate of poverty and unavailability of health care. It is estimated that over 45% of the people in Detroit live under the poverty line. This combination means that expecting mothers are not seeing doctors throughout their pregnancy, which can result in more complications during the birthing process.

Birth Injuries

It is true that an unavailability of medical care is likely to result in a birth injury to either the mother or the child. However, the presence of medical care does not ensure that a safe birth will be had.

There are countless examples of births that have gone wrong, even at the nation’s top hospitals. These injuries are not related to poverty or the unavailability of health care, but are caused by negligence on the part of the hospital staff, whether it be doctors, nurses, or administrative support staff.

All hospital personnel, as well as the hospital itself, have a duty to all of their patients to provide a reasonable level of care according to the prevailing professional standard. When any individual employee at a hospital fails to provide that level of care, the employee as well as the hospital may be held liable for the injuries or loss sustained by the victim as a result.

Recovering in a Birth Injury Case
A successful birth injury case requires that the plaintiff prove that the hospital or the employee of the hospital was negligent in some way. Merely suffering an injury is not likely going to be enough. There must be some action or lack of action on the part of the healthcare provider that caused the accident to occur.

Once a plaintiff is able to establish that the healthcare provider caused his or her injuries, the case moves forward into a damages phase, where a jury determines how the plaintiff should be compensated. Having a dedicated medical malpractice attorney by your side along the way makes this process much easier and more likely to succeed.

Have You Been Injured While Giving Birth?

If you have recently been injured while giving birth, or your child was injured during the birthing procedure, and you believe that the injury was caused by the negligence of a healthcare professional, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. To get a better grasp of the law surrounding these types of cases, and to speak to a dedicated attorney about the facts of your case, click here, or call (410) 567-0800 in Maryland or (888) 952-9669 in DC to schedule a free initial consultation.