Seattle Personal Injury Law Blog

The anticipation of the birth of your new child should be exciting and full of learning and adventure. However, these feelings can be instantaneously replaced with fear and anxiety if your child is the victim of a birth injury at the hands of your health care provider in Washington. At Elk & Elk Co,, Ltd., we are familiar with the complications that can sometimes arise during childbirth.

According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, a birth injury is also known as birth trauma. These physical injuries can create complications for your baby as he or she grows. Common birth injuries include cranial bleeding, collarbone fractures, nerve injuries to the face, bruising or swelling of the baby’s head, nerve damage in the limbs and broken blood vessels in the baby’s eyes.

Whether you are delivering your first child or preparing to give birth to your third or fourth child, chances are you have felt some feelings of apprehension. As with many Washington parents, the health and safety of you and your infant is heavily reliant on the knowledge, education and professionalism of your health care provider. At Elk & Elk, we are familiar with the complications that sometimes accompany birth.

In an article released by Psychology Today, readers are provided with suggestions of questions to ask their labor and delivery doctor or team. Not only can addressing such concerns alleviate stress and fear of the unknown, but it can encourage your health care provider to be vigilant and forthright as they are aware of your personal standards for medical care. Some of these questions include:

• What protocol should I follow if and/or when my water breaks?
• What is your C-section rate? How does it compare with the hospital’s average?
• Do you have limits on when, how and under what conditions an epidural can be given?
• Are episiotomies common in your deliveries?
• Who will be delivering my baby?
• What is your stance on inductions?

While you may be the most cautious driver on the roads of Washington and pay careful attention to all of the laws, you are still at risk when around other drivers who do not take safety as seriously. Fortunately, avoiding drivers who are reckless, inattentive, drowsy, careless or distracted can be facilitated by driving defensively.

The Huffington Post suggested a helpful acronym you may consider following in an effort to be visually attentive and prepared on the road. The acronym is S.P.I.D.E.R. and it stands for:

• Scan: First, constantly scan your surroundings for threats. After some experience, it can be easy to identify other drivers who pose a threat to your safety.
• Predict: Second, predict which direction perceived threats will come from. Often, this allows you a chance to move away, but can also help you prepare to react if unable to avoid the threat.
• Identify: Third, identify drivers that actually are threatening. These could be people that weave carelessly in and out of traffic, people who are manipulating electronics or people with a teetering load of cargo.
• Execute: Fourth, you are going to determine how to execute a reaction that will keep you and your passengers safe.
• Respond: Fifth, respond to the situation with the best knowledge you have. Even if you are unable to completely avoid an accident, your visual awareness and preparedness may enable you to escape serious injury or death.

Anyone who has been behind the wheel of a motor vehicle knows that aggressive drivers are everywhere. Unfortunately, road rage can be a very dangerous thing.

According to the Traffic Safety, aggressive driving contributes to over half of all traffic fatalities.