• Cerebral Palsy

Approximately two million children suffer birth injuries each year in the United States. In some cases, birth injuries result in mild temporary trauma, but in others, birth injuries can lead to serious, long-term, and life threatening damage to the infant. While birth injury is sometimes the result of an unforeseeable event, birth injury is often preventable. When a medical professional fails to exercise the degree of care required to prevent birth injury, they can be held liable for a family’s losses and suffering.

Failure to diagnose prenatal and birth risk factors is an act of medical negligence which can increase the risk of subsequent birth injury. If a family member was the victim of a birth injury due to medical malpractice, it is important to speak with our Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers. Maternal infections (i.e. measles, STDs) and other medical diseases (i.e. diabetes, Rh incompatibility) are treatable conditions which, if ignored during pregnancy, can increase the risk of birth injury. Other factors—such as improper dating of the pregnancy, large fetal head size, and premature delivery—can be identified and treated properly in order to avoid birth injury.

There are also several fetal risk factors which can increase the risk of birth injury. Loss of blood or oxygen to the brain during pregnancy or delivery can result in serious birth injury if appropriate medical measures are not taken to prevent and treat this condition. Bleeding or stroke in the baby’s brain can result in birth injury.

Infant jaundice is a common birth injury affecting nearly half of all newborns. Jaundice, the yellowing of the skin and eyes, can be caused by Rh incompatibility and/or infection. Severe bruising is also common birth injury when improper or forceful birthing techniques (i.e. vacuum, forceps delivery, or unnecessary force) are employed during delivery. Fortunately, mild jaundice is a temporary condition that disappears on its own in a few weeks. However, if your child is released from the hospital without careful monitoring of bilirubin levels, a serious brain injury can occur.

Shoulder dystocia is another birth complication and occurs when the baby’s shoulder becomes impacted on the mother’s pelvic bone during delivery. When the risk factors of shoulder dystocia are identified and treated before and during delivery, the risk of birth injury can be greatly mitigated. When shoulder dystocia does develop during the birth process, there is a specific protocol employed by physicians to correct this birth complication. When a doctor fails to prevent or respond appropriately to shoulder dystocia, a child may develop a birth injury called brachial plexus palsy or Erb’s Palsy. This birth injury affects the nerves which run from the neck to each arm. This condition can disappear on its own or may result in permanent inability to use one arm.

Cerebral palsy is a serious birth injury which can result from a complicated birth. Cerebral palsy can be caused by the loss of oxygen, bleeding, and other trauma to the brain that can lead to cerebral palsy. When medical professionals exercise prudence and care during a woman’s pregnancy and delivery, cerebral palsy is often preventable.

If your child has suffered a birth injury, you may be eligible to work with a Philadelphia birth trauma lawyer to seek compensation for your losses. In many circumstances, it can be difficult to determine just what happened before or during delivery which resulted in your child’s injuries. This is why it is important to contact a qualified Philadelphia birth injury attorney with experience investigating cases of birth injury to determine whether there is liability for your losses.

To learn more about birth traumas and injuries, contact a Philadelphia birth trauma lawyer at our firm today.