Birth Injury - Cerebral Palsy

When complications arise during labor or delivery, they are known as 'birth injuries' or 'birth trauma.' These injuries can range from mild to severe. A recent article published in the New England Journal of Medicine based on a study of 583,340 infants revealed that brain injuries during labor and delivery occurred in:

• 1 out of every 860 delivered by vacuum extraction
• 1 out of every 907 delivered by cesarean section (C-section)
• 1 out of every 664 delivered with the use of forceps

A primary cause of birth injury is oxygen deprivation, which normally occurs when the umbilical cord is twisted during delivery. Mechanical trauma can also result in injury. This occurs when the baby is either too large to pass through the birth canal easily, or when the baby leaves the birth canal in an abnormal position, e.g. buttocks first rather than head first.

The most common types of birth injuries are:

• Brain Damage
• Temporary Paralysis
• Cerebral Palsy
• Erb's Palsy
• Klumpke's Palsy
• Fractured Collar Bone
• Brachial Plexus Palsy

Many birth injuries can be directly attributed to mistakes made by doctors or other hospital personnel during the delivery process. These mistakes may include failure to diagnose or properly manage pregnancy complications, using excessive force during delivery, failure to respond to fetal distress in a timely manner, failure to expedite the delivery of the baby and many others.

There is nothing more precious than the birth of a child. When a terrible tragedy such as birth injury occurs, the effects on the family can be devastating, both emotionally and monetarily. In addition to the psychological damage that may ensue, medical costs can be overwhelming. We understand, and we want to help.

If you or someone you care about has a child who has suffered birth injury due to medical negligence or malpractice, please fill out our Case Review Contact Form to the right on this page to find out what your case is worth.

To find out more about other cases we handle, select another case type on your left.

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