Birth injuries often have a ripple effect on the family of the injured infant. When something goes wrong during labor and delivery, the child may have injuries that require immediate medical care. In some cases, the child may require regular support for the rest of their life or at least throughout their early developmental stages.
The parents of a child with a birth injury often need help covering their increased family medical expenses. They may consider pursuing a birth injury lawsuit to defray some of their unexpected expenses. Before filing a lawsuit, families have to consider other consequences of the birth injury.
Parents may also need to request compensation for lost wages or lost earning potential after the birth of an infant with a birth injury. How can a birth injury affect parental income?
Parents may require more time off from work
Parents who may have previously expected to minimize maternity leave and other family-related work absences may now have much more pressure on their time. An infant with birth injuries may require regular medical appointments with specialists or physical therapists.
Parents may have to take days off of work, come in late or leave early to attend those appointments. Even though their employer may be aware of the birth injury, regular absences can affect a professional’s career development.
Companies tend to deny opportunities to those who seem less dedicated to the company than others. A parent caring for a child with birth defects may experience major setbacks in their long-term career progression.
One parent may cease working entirely
In more serious birth injury cases, children may require constant care and supervision. Some families bring in nursing professionals. However, demanding job responsibilities and low wages might result in caregiver abuse. Many parents do not want to risk someone else coming into their home and mistreating their child.
They may decide to have one parent leave the workforce and serve as a caregiver to the child. The family may then need to absorb decades of lost income, lost earning potential and lost employment benefits.
Parents trying to hold health care professionals or facilities accountable for birth injuries may need help calculating their losses. Determining the true economic impact of a birth injury often requires help from an experienced professional. Families who accurately estimate their losses may be able to seek a more appropriate amount of compensation given their situation.