Although not all birth injuries are the results of medical malpractice, there are some which could easily have been avoided.
From the mental and emotional trauma that your child has to face throughout life to the treatment costs these injuries incur, birth injuries resulting from doctor’s inattention or incompetence can have a life-changing, negative impact on your family.
We at The Fitzgerald Law Firm have developed a list of some common birth injuries to help you better understand your child’s situation and take appropriate action. Read on to find out more:
Brachial Plexus Injury
The Brachial Plexus is a bundle of nerves that originates from spinal cord in the neck and moves down towards the arm. It controls muscular movement in shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands, and provides feeling sensation in arms.
Injury to the Brachial Plexus can occur if a doctor pushes too hard or inaccurately while delivering the baby. Erb’s Palsy and Klumpke’s Palsy are two types of injuries caused by damage to Brachial Plexus.
Cerebral Palsy
One of the most serious birth injuries, cerebral palsy involves brain damage leading to muscle spasms and impaired movement and motor functioning.
Some causes of this condition include labor trauma, lack of oxygen supply to the brain and premature delivery. Incompetence in using equipment and failure to diagnose and treat jaundice are some medical malpractice causes leading to cerebral palsy.
Facial Paralysis
Inappropriate amount of pressure exerted to the baby’s face can cause damage to the facial nerves and lead to facial paralysis. Minor symptoms may include inability to shut eyes, whereas serious problems may include complete paralysis of the face in the affected area. A doctor’s improper use of vacuum extraction or forceps to pull out the baby may lead to the unfortunate condition.
Cephalohematoma
This is a birth-related injury characterized by bleeding under the cranium. It causes a raised bump on the infant’s head few hours after birth. The bump usually disappears within the next few months but can lead to other conditions such as, jaundice, anemia and sometimes even meningitis.
Intellectual Disability
Intellectual disability is marked by failure to reach developmental milestones that normal children achieve. Some of the general causes of the condition include genetic roots, developmental complications in mother’s womb and trauma during labor. However, the condition can also be caused by lack of oxygen which may be the result of a doctor’s poor assessment of the situation.
We at The Fitzgerald Law Firm employ services of some of the most professional medical malpractice lawyer in New York. Having experience with birth injury cases, our medical malpractice lawyers have helped many parents gain fair compensation.