Toronto Detached Placenta Lawyers

The placenta is an organ that develops during pregnancy and attaches to the wall of the uterus. A placenta is essential because it provides a child with both oxygen and nutrients.

If the placenta partially or completely detaches from the wall, it is commonly referred to as placental abruption or abruptio placentae. While a placental abruption is not a common condition, it is a serious one because it can threaten the life of both the mother and the child if left untreated.

If you or your child suffered a birth injury because of an improperly treated detached placenta, you are going to want to quickly retain legal counsel for help recovering all of the compensation you are entitled to. Male sure your first phone call is to Mazin & Associates, PC.

Our Toronto detached placenta lawyers fight to help people recover maximum compensation for all kinds of birth injury cases. You can have us assess all of your legal options when you call (416) 625-2122 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

Do I Need A Detached Placenta Lawyer?

Placental abruption cases can be heartbreaking because children are born with debilitating or possibly even fatal conditions. Many parents are understandably angry that they were not informed sooner about a detached placenta and that greater steps were not taken to protect the welfare of the child.

One of the first things that a lawyer is going to be able to do for you is to conduct an independent investigation into the accident that caused your detached placenta. A lawyer will be able to prove when a doctor should have known about the detached placenta and which recommended actions were not taken.

Following a placental abruption injury, the insurance company for the negligent doctor or hospital may be quick to offer you a lump sum settlement to resolve your case. Some people accept these offers out of fear that they will be their only chance at recovery, but you should know that whatever you are being offered is probably nowhere near what your case is worth.

Our firm will fight for the full and fair amount of compensation you are owed, and we won’t let you be bullied into accepting a low-ball settlement offer.

Why Choose Mazin & Associates, PC To Handle My Case?

You will want to work with Mazin & Associates, PC because our legal representation comes at no immediate cost to you. We will provide legal services on a contingency fee basis, so you only pay if you receive a monetary award.

Gary Mazin is Director at the Brain Injury Association of Peel and Halton and a member of the Toronto Lawyers Association, Law Society of Upper Canada, Spinal Cord Injury Ontario, Ontario Trial Lawyer’s Association, Medico-Legal Society of Toronto, Canadian Bar Association, Brain Injury Society of Toronto, Advocate’s Society, and Ontario Bar Association. Supriya Sharma earned a law degree from the University of Wolverhampton Law School in England and graduated with academic distinction with top-tier class ranking.

Vasiola Bibolli researched legal issues, interviewed clients, and provided clients with legal information and presented in public legal education workshops while acting as a caseworker with the first Legal Information Service of Thompson Rivers University (TRU). Office manager Samara Savdie has more than a decade of experience in personal injury law.

Olga Kaliada is an Accident Benefits Specialist who helps clients obtain housekeeping benefits,  income replacement benefits, attendant care, medical benefits, and other accident benefits to which they are entitled. Melanie Harvey has been a law clerk for Mazin & Associates, PC since 2014 and helps prepare motion records, trial records, and other court documents.

Signs of Placental Abruption

Some of the most common signs of placental abruption include, but are not limited to:

• Vaginal bleeding
• Rapid contractions
• Abdominal or back pain
• Uterine tenderness
• Fetal heart rate abnormalities
• Motor vehicle accidents

Another condition increasing the risk of a detached placenta is chorioamnionitis, which is a condition in which bacteria infects the membranes surrounding the fetus, the chorion, and amnion, as well as the amniotic fluid in which a fetus floats. Such conditions can cause infections in both the mother and the child.

Placental abruption can place the health of both the mother and her child at risk. It is essential to understand that not all detached placentas necessarily show any symptoms, which is how some of these injuries end up going undetected and untreated.

Some of the possible dangers for the mothers themselves include:

• Shock because of blood loss
• Disseminated intravascular coagulation or other blood clotting problems
• Possible blood transfusion
• Kidney failure or failure of other organs because of blood loss
• Hysterectomy in limited cases

For the baby, placental abruption often leads to a loss of oxygen and nutrients. Complications can include:

• Restricted growth from lack of nutrients
• Permanent brain damage
• Premature birth
• Cerebral palsy
• Stillbirth
• Developmental delays
• Periventricular leukomalacia
• Learning disabilities
• Microcephaly
• Motor disorders
• Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
• Neonatal encephalopathy
• Seizure disorders
• Stroke
• Death

The failure to detect and treat a detached placenta often constitutes medical malpractice. Most doctors and hospitals will aggressively deny that they were negligent.

Not all placental abruptions are dangerous, so mothers may be able to continue to carry children while simply being watched closely. In other more serious cases of detached placentas, medical professionals will need to take more pronounced actions to protect the lives of the child and the mother.

Placental abruption cases can involve massive reviews of various kinds of medical records, which can be an exhausting process. Mazin & Associates, PC can also consult medical experts for assistance in proving detached placenta injury claims.

What are the common causes of placental abruption?

 Placental abruption is often caused by some trauma or injury to a mother’s abdomen. An automobile accident or a simple fall could both be causes of a detached placenta. Women can also be at higher risk of placental abruption if they smoke or use drugs. Older women are also more susceptible, and high blood pressure can also increase the risk of a detached placenta. When women have experienced placental abruption before, they can also be more susceptible to another detached placenta. 

How is a placental abruption supposed to be treated?

When a detached placenta occurs, it cannot simply be reattached. The severity of the abruption has to be diagnosed, and an emergency Cesarean section (C-section) could be required when the child is in distress. In cases of an abruption being minor, and the baby continues to have a normal heart rate, the mother may be allowed to continue with her pregnancy while being closely monitored.

Are there ways to prevent placental abruption?

Keeping in mind the common causes, women can significantly reduce their risk of a detached placenta by not smoking or using illegal drugs. Women with high blood pressure should consult their physicians about trying to reduce their blood pressure. Mothers should always wear seat belts in motor vehicles, and always seek treatment when you are involved in any car crash, even if you do not think you were hurt. Seek medical attention any time there was some possible trauma to the mother’s stomach.

Detached Placenta Statistics

According to “An International Contrast of Rates of Placental Abruption: An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis,” a study published in PLOS One, a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal published by the Public Library of Science, abruption rates among women older than 20 years of age increased in both Canada and Sweden. The prevalence rate of placental abruption (per 1000 births) in Canada that included 5,407,463 subjects was 9.9 for women older than 20 years of age in 1991 but rose 3.3 percent to 10.2 2008.

The study also found that the prevalence rate of placental abruption in Canada was 10.5 for women older than 35 years of age in 1991 but increased 19.1 percent to 12.5 in 2008. The study concluded that abruption rates in Canada have shown a sharp decline since 2000.

A 2004 report by the Government of Canada found that the abruptio placentae rate per 1,000 between 1990 and 1997 had a low of 10.59 in 1992 and a high of 12.05 in 1996. The average for all years was 11.25.

The number of singleton births had a high of 275,767 in 1995 and a low of 259,349 in 1997 with a total of 2,162,815 for all years between 1990 and 1997. The case-fatality percentage was highest in 1991 with 7.82 percent and lowest in 1997 with 6.12 percent, and there was an average of 6.97 percent.

Contact a Detached Placenta Lawyer in Toronto Today

Did you or your child sustain a birth injury as the result of a detached placenta? The Toronto birth injury lawyers of Mazin & Associates, PC are ready and willing to go to whatever lengths are required to help you get justice and fair compensation. Call (416) 625-2122 or contact us online to receive a free consultation from one of our knowledgeable Toronto birth injury lawyers today.