Birth Injuries
The birth of a baby can be the happiest day of your life. Sadly for some, a difficult or trauma producing birth can have lifelong consequences for the child and family. Taking care of a loved one, and being able to provide care for them in perpetuity can be a huge issue as children who are born with a birth injury grow up and need a higher level of care. According to the National Healthcare Quality Report, “6.68 birth trauma injuries occurred per 1,000 live births in the US 2000.” * Some of these injuries are unavoidable, but some are caused by negligent behavior on the behalf of doctors, nurses and hospital staff. When a baby is born with birth related trauma it is important to find out the source of accident but it is often hard when parents are emotional and medical staff uncooperative in discussing how the trauma took place.
In some cases of negligence, doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, EMTs midwives and medical providers can make decisions that do not meet the expected standard of medical care. Medical staff can make mistakes, act recklessly, or impaired by drugs, alcohol or even lack of sleep.
Birth Injury Litigation Areas: Birth Injury: Causes
- Cerebral Palsy
- Severe Brain Damage
- Bone fractures
- Erb’s Palsy, Brachial Plexus Palsy
- PBL, destruction of white matter in the brain
- Paralysis (to some or all of the extremities such as arms or legs)
- Fetal Distress
- Anesthesia Errors (to Mother or neonate)
- Delivery Delay
- Developmental Delay
- Surgical Delay
- C-Section (Failure to perform in a prompt manner)
- Bi-lateral Blindness
- Retardation
- Group B Strep
- Retinopathy of Prematurity
- Birth Injuries to the Mother
Contact Shapiro Law Group
If your child has suffered a birth injury and you suspect that its cause is medical malpractice, contact the Shapiro Law Group for answers to your questions. We’re here to help.
source: *National Healthcare Quality Report, AHRQ, DHHS, 2003
