The birth of a child is one of the most joyous occasions for families. Patients rely on medical professionals to be prepared for any complications that may arise during labor and delivery. Medical professionals are also expected to monitor the mother and child throughout the pregnancy and anticipate any problems that may occur later in the pregnancy or during the birth. These expectations are not always met. There are roughly 28,000 birth injuries in the United States each year, many of which are preventable. This number means that about seven out of every 1,000 babies born in the U.S. each year sustain birth injuries.
Here are the five most common birth injuries seen in the United States:
1. Cerebral palsy: About two or three out of every 1,000 children in the United States have cerebral palsy. It is a condition that is characterized by muscle weakness, muscle spasms and lack of development when it comes to motor skills. There is no cure for cerebral palsy. It is often caused by damage to the developing brain during birth. A birth injury that leads to cerebral palsy may be predicted by risk factors such as untreated maternal infections, loss of oxygen or lack of blood flow to the baby’s brain, placental abnormalities, maternal high blood pressure, inadequate prenatal care, etc.
2. Erb’s palsy or brachial plexus injury: Brachial plexus injuries occur to the group of nerves that originate from the upper spine and go through the hand, shoulder, arm and neck. During a difficult labor and delivery, there is a strong likelihood that the nerves of the brachial plexus may be damaged. Such injuries may occur during birth if the obstetrician who delivers the baby exerts too much pressure or pulls the infant with excessive force. The extent of the damage depends on whether the nerves are stretched or ruptured. When the nerves are completely dislodged from the spine, the child’s arm may be completely paralyzed.
3. Perinatal asphyxia: Asphyxia is a word that refers to an individual’s inability to breathe. During birth, this may occur if the infant does not receive sufficient amounts of oxygen. This situation can lead to labored breathing, paleness, seizures or even coma. If the child does not receive enough oxygen for an extended period of time, he or she may suffer permanent neurological damage.
4. Facial paralysis: If the doctor puts too much pressure on an infant’s face during delivery, the facial nerves may become damaged. This is unfortunately common in cases where forceps or a vacuum is used to get the child out of the birth canal. Symptoms of facial paralysis may include inability to close the eye on the affected side of the face. Serious cases of facial paralysis may lead to permanent damage where the child is unable to control the facial muscles or experiences total paralysis on one side of the face.
5. Caput Succedaneum: This refers to the swelling of the scalp in a newborn where a part of the scalp may seem bruised or discolored. This is often caused by pressure from the uterus or vaginal wall in a head-first delivery. Vacuum extraction during a difficult birth may also increase the chances of this type of injury to the baby. It occurs due to an early rupture of membranes where the baby does not have enough amniotic fluid to cushion his or her head. This condition may be detected with a prenatal ultrasound even before labor or delivery begins and injuries may be prevented.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If your child has suffered a birth injury or has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury as a result of medical negligence, you may be able to file a birth injury lawsuit seeking compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, loss of livelihood, hospital and rehabilitation costs, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
The experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. One of our Erb’s palsy clients secured a $2,850,000 verdict that was reduced by the appeals court to $1,850,000 because the verdict was so large. This was the highest amount upheld by the appellate courts for many, many years. In addition we recovered $1,400,000 for a newborn who lost motion in the arm during birth due to doctors applying incorrect force on the baby’s head.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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