Obstetrics Consultations and Midwifery Liability
Campaigns against midwifery, starting at the beginning of the 19th century, set the table for strained relationships between physicians and midwives, which persist to the present time. Anti-midwifery sentiments, enhanced by the attitudes of J. Whitridge Williams and Joseph Bolivar DeLee*, ushered in the age of obstetrics and scientific medicine which were considered the only modern and realistic choice for safe and healthy childbirth in America.[1]
Insurance Defense Attorneys
Insurance defense attorneys will advertise for clients the same as trial attorneys, but their targeted audiences are insurance companies, not injured plaintiffs. An insurance defense attorney is hired by a hospital insurance company to protect their interests when claims for malpractice arise. As a CNM/CM hospital employee, named in a claim for malpractice, you will eventually become acquainted with this individual. Although many midwifery/medical defendants may consider this person to be “their” lawyer, that is not really the case.
Attorney Advertising - Personal Injury
For many years, some personal injury attorneys’ websites have advertised for business in varying forms of media, attempting to alert and attract those clients who may have suffered injuries at the hands of medical professionals. Midwives have always been a popular target since the profession is frequently maligned and misunderstood. What better profession to target when mining for potential economic windfalls?
Frivolous Lawsuits
In the savage, ferocious world of litigation, lawsuits filed without factual basis in law, or lacking good faith, are regarded as frivolous. In the context of serious harm, death, and damages, this is a particularly ridiculous adjective to describe claims that are serious and potentially damaging. If there are legitimate injuries and reasonable claims, a negligence filing is not frivolous.
All Midwives Are Not The Same
Consumers and attorneys need to understand differences between midwives and the unique aspects of each practice. For instance, a CPM or a Lay midwife will be judged by a different standard of care than CNMs or CMs.