A successful birth injury lawsuit can help families recover compensation for their incurred damages. These can include medical expenses, therapy and treatment costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and a diminished quality of life.
Your attorney will investigate your case by reviewing the medical records and consulting with experts. They can also negotiate a fair settlement or represent you in court. Click Birth Injury Attorneys to learn more.
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) occurs when an infant experiences reduced blood flow or oxygen to the brain. It’s also known as neonatal encephalopathy and perinatal asphyxia. Many things can cause HIE, including problems during labor and delivery or a medical error.
HIE symptoms are usually caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain, ranging from mild to severe. They may include seizures, difficulty breathing, or trouble feeding. It’s important to see a doctor immediately if your child has any of these symptoms.
A healthcare provider will perform a physical exam and run tests to diagnose HIE. They may do an ultrasound or an MRI to check the brain for damage. They will also run blood tests to look for if your baby’s organs have been affected by the lack of oxygen.
The treatment for HIE is therapeutic hypothermia, which involves lowering a baby’s body temperature to protect the brain from swelling. This is the most effective treatment for this condition, but it’s unavailable in all hospitals. If your baby’s doctor didn’t treat your child with this method, they could be guilty of malpractice. Other treatments for HIE may include physical and occupational therapy, epilepsy medications, and a referral to a comprehensive epilepsy center. These interventions can help your baby reach their full potential. However, some babies who have this condition will continue to experience problems, including intellectual disability, behavioral issues, and sensory challenges.
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect muscle tone, movement, posture, balance and coordination. The condition is caused by damage to parts of the brain that control body movements. The symptoms vary from person to person and may be mild to severe. In some cases, the condition can cause seizures and epilepsy. Symptoms can also include difficulty eating and swallowing.
Children with cerebral palsy are slow to reach developmental milestones like rolling over, sitting up, crawling and walking. They may have stiff muscles and exaggerated reflexes, which are called spasticity, or a combination of stiff and floppy muscles, known as dystonia. CP causes problems with walking, eating and speaking, and can lead to problems with the bladder and bowels, eyesight and hearing. It rarely affects intelligence.
There’s no cure for cerebral palsy, but treatments can help. These treatments include physical therapy, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy. Some people with CP need surgery. For example, spinal surgery can help relieve back pain and improve walking. It can also prevent the condition from getting worse.
You or your child should visit a healthcare professional for a medical exam, which should include a neurological exam. An MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, and CT scans are tests that can detect brain abnormalities. They’ll look at your child’s birth history and will conduct a physical exam. They’ll also take blood samples to check for certain health conditions.
Erb’s palsy
When doctors use excessive force during childbirth, they may damage the brachial plexus nerve network. This can cause Erb’s palsy, a condition that causes weakness and/or paralysis in the arm. Symptoms include limited movement in the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Doctors diagnose this condition by taking a history of your child’s symptoms and performing physical examinations. They may also order an MRI or nerve conduction study to test for brachial plexus injuries.
Typically, Erb’s palsy is mild and heals on its own in over 80% of cases. However, treatment is important to prevent stiffness and to speed up recovery. Daily physical therapy and range-of-motion exercises will help keep the shoulder, arm, and wrist from becoming contracted or stiff. In severe cases, doctors may recommend surgery to repair damaged nerves.
Erb’s palsy is a preventable birth injury, and medical professionals should be held accountable for any malpractice that occurs during a delivery. If your child suffers from this condition and it was caused by medical negligence, we can file a legal claim to get compensation for their treatment. Contact us now to learn more about how we can help you and your family. Getting financial assistance through a medical malpractice lawsuit will allow your child to receive the best possible care and improve their chances of making a full recovery. We can even cover the cost of your child’s medical bills and other expenses, if necessary.
Klumpke’s palsy
Klumpke’s palsy is a rare condition that can occur in newborns. It is a type of brachial plexus injury that causes weakness and paralysis in the arm, wrist, and hand. The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that runs from the spine, through the armpit, and down into the arms. This nerve trauma can cause a variety of symptoms, from mild to severe, depending on the severity of the damage.
The injury to the brachial plexus can happen in several ways during labor and delivery, but the most common is when medical professionals use too much force or mishandle a child’s head during delivery. This can result in injuries to the baby’s upper or lower brachial plexus. Both types of injuries can have a significant impact on the baby’s life and cause permanent disability.
Symptoms of Klumpke’s palsy vary from mild to severe, and the type of nerve injury affects the symptoms. The symptoms can include a lack of movement in the arm and hand, a claw-like grip, and numbness in the fingers.
The condition can be prevented by ensuring that parents attend prenatal appointments and follow the advice of their healthcare providers. Doctors should also monitor the progress of the pregnancy and the position of the baby and order a C-section if necessary. This is particularly important when the mother has risk factors for this type of birth injury, such as gestational diabetes or a large baby size.
Shoulder dystocia
During childbirth, shoulder dystocia can occur when a baby’s shoulders become lodged behind a mother’s pubic bone. This can extend the second stage of labor and lead to traumatic birth injuries for both the baby and the mother. According to a 2016 article in Women’s Health, this condition is not always preventable and may even cause long-term problems for the infant. However, medical professionals can recognize the symptoms of this complication and take quick action to resolve it.
When a doctor encounters shoulder dystocia, they must act quickly to deliver the child. This means they will need to use a variety of maneuvers to release the shoulder. These maneuvers include changing the position of the mother, which can widen the birth canal. They might also use a McRoberts maneuver, which involves hyperflexing the thighs. Another common procedure is to use the Woods screw maneuver or the Rubin rotational maneuver. These are specific manoeuvres that all obstetricians should be familiar with and which are practised regularly in maternity units.
These maneuvers are usually successful, but in some cases, they do not work. In these cases, doctors must resort to other, more invasive techniques. This can include the use of forceps and a caesarean section. These procedures are more invasive than a routine vaginal delivery and can cause a number of complications for the mother and infant. They can cause tearing to the cervix, rectum and vagina and can lead to severe bleeding and a complication called uterine rupture. This is a serious medical emergency, and the consequences of a complication from these techniques can be devastating.
Birth trauma
Birth trauma is an emotional or psychological injury caused by a negative experience during childbirth. This can affect the birthing person, birth partner or non-birthing parent and can have long-term effects on their mental and physical health. Symptoms of birth trauma may include severe anxiety and flashbacks. While the condition can be difficult to diagnose, it is treatable with the help of a professional.
Most maternal and infant birth injuries are minor and require no treatment, while others, such as skull fractures and nerve damage, can be life-threatening. A diagnosis of birth trauma is made based on the patient’s symptoms and history. It is important to speak with a healthcare professional as soon as possible to ensure that your symptoms are managed properly. Treatment options for birth trauma are varied and may include cognitive behavioral therapy, family-based interventions, and pharmacological management.
While the cause of birth trauma is unclear, it is thought to be due to a discrepancy between expectations and reality. It can also be triggered by previous trauma. It is important to seek support from friends and family if you have been affected by this type of trauma. This will help you to contextualise the experience and reduce the likelihood that you will carry distressing feelings with you into future births. It is also helpful to talk about the experience with a healthcare professional on the maternity ward or with a mental health therapist outside the hospital.