Cerebral Palsy | Bone Fracture | Brachial Plexus Injury | Birth Defects | Spinal Cord Injury | Erbs Palsy
While all parents hope for an easy labor and delivery without birth complications, life does not always turn out that way. As a result, the medical field has established accepted medical practices to deal with birth trauma. In many cases, such practices can prevent mother and baby injuries. However, when medical practitioners fail to adhere to the accepted standards in their field, the outcome can be devastating. If injuries are severe or fatal, grounds may exist to pursue medical malpractice litigation.
What Type of Birth Injury Is Common?
Birth injuries can happen in various ways. They can result from a failure to perform a C-section when necessary or failing to perform a C-section in a timely manner. They can result from delayed delivery, improper use of forceps or not recognizing birth complications during labor. There are various medical errors that can cause birth injuries.
Common injuries or adverse medical conditions that occur during birth include:
- Cerebral palsy. Skull injuries, lack of oxygen or other birth complications can cause brain damage called cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is characterized by permanent physical impairment that leads to developmental and coordination difficulties.
- Bone fracture. One of the most common types of bone fracture during childbirth is the infant clavicle fracture (collar bone fracture). If the baby's shoulders are too large to pass through the birth canal (called shoulder dystocia) or forceps were improperly used, this type of an injury can occur.
- Brachial Plexus injury. The brachial plexus is the network of nerves connecting the spinal cord to the shoulder. When this area sustains an injury during childbirth, the brachial plexus can be stretched, bruised or torn. There may be loss of sensation or the ability to move the shoulder, arm or hand. This type of injury most frequently occurs with a baby that has a high birth weight, that is in a breech position or when labor is prolonged. These complications can lead to brachial plexus palsy and can also result in Erbs palsy when the upper nerves are damaged.
- Birth defects. Not all birth defects are congenital. Some are caused environmentally by drugs or medication or may result from improper prenatal care. If a mother takes a medication during pregnancy that has known potential adverse side effects for the baby, the doctor should advise the mother of this fact.
- Spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injury can result from a lack of awareness of birth complications, such as the baby being in a breech position. Improper rotation and hyperextension of the baby's head are other possible causes. Spinal cord damage can result in lifelong, serious impairment.
Did Your Child Suffer a Serious Birth Injury Due to Medical Malpractice?
Discuss the details of your childbirth and the injuries sustained in a free consultation. If it appears that medical malpractice was an underlying factor in your baby’s injuries, our firm will investigate. Handling medical malpractice cases requires extensive legal skills and access to medical experts who can evaluate the facts. At Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP, our attorneys have decades of experience and we also have access to the medical resources that are necessary when pursuing such cases. Your case matters to us. Find out how we can help.
Call us toll free at 888.519.6400, or contact us in Garden City at 516.248.2234, or in Flushing-Queens, Brooklyn or the Bronx at 718.539.3100. You can also fill in our contact form, and we will get in touch with you.
