Las Vegas Maternal Mortality Lawyers
Experienced representation when mothers die in childbirth
Even with the latest medical advancements and wonders in technology, many women still die while giving birth. Tragically, most cases of maternal mortality are preventable. At Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, our Las Vegas maternal mortality lawyers have been fighting for families when wrongful deaths occur for nearly 20 years. We’re ready to help your family obtain justice.
Quick Questions
According to Yale Medicine:
When a woman dies in pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period, it means there is an infant who will never know his or her mother. There is a tremendous sense of loss, grief, fear, and blame, as well as new, unexpected responsibility for the other parent and the family’s extended community.
Per the World Health Organization, a person who dies up to 42 days after giving birth is factored into the overall maternal mortality rate. Some maternal care advocates argue the focus should be on the full year following delivery of a newborn.
Maternal mortality is generally classified as:
- Direct maternal mortality. These deaths are due to complications during pregnancy, delivery, and the six weeks after delivery.
- Indirect maternal mortality. These deaths are generally due to existing conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease that are aggravated by pregnancy.
- Coincidental maternal mortality. These deaths are due to causes unrelated to the pregnancy, delivery, or post-delivery care – such as being involved in a car accident on the way back home from the hospital.
Some of the key maternal mortality risk factors include being Black, Hispanic, and older.
How common is maternal morality?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 1,205 women in the US died of maternal causes in 2021. Some of the contributing factors include pregnancies at older ages, healthcare inequities, and an increase in chronic health problems. The CDC states, “About 84% of pregnancy-related deaths are thought to be preventable, according to data from state committees that review maternal deaths.”
According to the March of Dimes, the maternal mortality rate for Nevada (using data between 2018 and 2021) is 21.7 out of every 100,000 births. By their standards, this rate includes anyone who died “from complications of pregnancy or childbirth that occur during the pregnancy or within 6 weeks after the pregnancy ends.” Our rate is slightly lower than the national rate of 23.5 out of every 100,000 births.
Maternal mortality can result from medical negligence. Mistakes made during surgery, failure to monitor the mother, errors with medication, failing to listen to a patient’s complaints or concerns – all of this can lead to maternal deaths. Some of the primary causes of maternal deaths can include:
- Infections. The delivery teams should work in a sanitary environment that focuses on clean hygiene. For example, maternal sepsis may occur due to a severe bacterial infection of the uterus during pregnancy or after delivery. Sepsis causes the body to attack its own organs and tissues. Maternal sepsis is the second leading cause of maternal deaths in the US.
- Hemorrhaging/severe bleeding. Some blood loss during delivery is to be expected. Severe blood loss from placental abruption, uterine atony, and placenta previa may be fatal. Delivery doctors should anticipate and be ready to treat hemorrhaging.
- Preeclampsia/eclampsia. These conditions involve high blood pressure during pregnancy and childbirth. Preeclampsia/eclampsia can cause damage to organs and death – if not managed promptly.
- Thromboembolism. This condition involves the formation of blood clots in a woman’s veins that may travel to the lungs.
- Ectopic pregnancy. Normally, pregnancy starts with a fertilized egg that attaches to the lining of the uterus. The Mayo Clinic notes, “An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside the main cavity of the uterus…An ectopic pregnancy can't proceed normally. The fertilized egg can't survive, and the growing tissue may cause life-threatening bleeding, if left untreated.”
- Obstetric complications. Pregnancy and childbirth complications may be fatal if Las Vegas doctors fail to diagnose and treat the complications properly and in a timely manner. These complications include placental abruption, placenta preview, eclampsia, and uterine rupture.
At Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, we work with OB-GYNs and other healthcare professionals who understand why a pregnant woman or a woman who recently delivered a baby died – and why her healthcare professionals should be held liable for her death.
Lack of care may harm mothers in Nevada
In many cases, maternal mortality is due to the lack of adequate healthcare services and delays in treatment. Nevada, per the March of Dimes, has multiple “maternity care deserts” – areas without proper or adequate facilities for maternal care:
Maternity care deserts are counties across the U.S. in which access to maternity care services is limited or absent, either through lack of services or barriers to a woman's ability to access that care within counties. Specifically, a maternity care desert is any county without a hospital or birth center offering obstetric care and without any obstetric providers. Obstetric providers include obstetricians, family physicians who reported delivering babies, certified nurse midwives and nurse midwives.
There are 17 counties in Nevada; fewer than half of them have hospitals or birthing facilities. A report published by USC Annenberg found that Carson City “has the highest infant mortality rate per capita and has the closest hospital with obstetric care for many rural patients,” so even when they can access care, there are risks.
At Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, our Las Vegas maternal mortality lawyers file claims against all responsible medical professionals, including:
- Gynecologists, obstetricians, nurses, and midwives. These medical professionals are liable to patients and the families of patients if substandard medical care causes death or injuries.
- The hospital where the delivery took place and/or where the post-delivery care took place. Hospitals may be liable due to unsanitary facilities, understaffing, poor facilities, unsafe protocols, and because hospitals are generally liable for the negligence of their employees including physicians.
- Pharmacies and medical device/drug manufacturers. If pharmacies provide the wrong drug or if device manufacturers provide defective devices or drugs, they could be liable for the wrongful death of your loved one.
- Other defendants, depending on how the death occurred
Our Las Vegas wrongful death lawyers are respected trial lawyers who have secured millions for our clients. While we can never guarantee an outcome in a case, we can help you seek damages for:
- Burial and funeral costs
- Loss of financial support the mother would have provided the surviving newborn and any other family members
- Value of the guidance, support, love, and affection the mother would have provided the newborn and other family members
- Sorrow and grief of the family members
We also seek compensation for any pain and suffering of the mother before she died. We file punitive damages when the medical malpractice of the healthcare provider is especially egregious. There is, however, a cap on non-economic damages.
Do you have a Las Vegas maternal mortality lawyer near me?
Our Las Vegas office is located at 4101 Meadows Lane, Suite 100. We’re located near Meadows Mall and Springs Preserve. Our birth injury lawyers consult with surviving family members by phone and through video.
Talk with our respected Las Vegas maternal mortality lawyers today
A lawsuit cannot bring your loved one back, but it can hold the responsible parties accountable. At Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, we treat you with the dignity and compassion you deserve. Let us help. To schedule a free consultation, call us or fill out our contact form today.