Your child’s birth is one of the most exciting, memorable, and unforgettable moments of your life. All parents hope for an uncomplicated and smooth delivery, but sadly, for some parents, medical complications occur. Seven out of every 1,000 babies born in the U.S. will sustain some sort of birth injury. Nearly 30,000 birth injuries occur each year. While some birth injuries are linked to biological, environmental, or nutritional factors, many more are the direct result of medical malpractice and negligence. Doctors in hospitals across the country can act negligently to cause birth injuries that often lead to a lifetime of problems.
What is a Birth Injury?
A birth injury is defined as any sort of injury occurring to a newborn during childbirth. Birth injuries generally occur due to complications during labor or delivery. Birth injuries can range in severity from minor bruising to severe brain damage. Medical malpractice is a main cause of birth injuries, but there are other environmental or natural causes. A licensed birth injury attorney will examine your child’s injury and medical history to determine if medical malpractice played a role in your child’s birth injury.
What are the Most Common Birth Injuries?
The most common birth injuries are as follows:
- Head and brain injuries: These injuries can range from minor bruising of the head due to the use of forceps to bleeding in the brain. Birth complications often result in deprivation of oxygen to the baby, which can later lead to Cerebral Palsy, mental impairment, and seizure disorders. Medical malpractice that causes these injuries can include failing to recognize fetal distress and timely performing a c-section.
- Fractured bones: Broken collar bones and clavicles most often occur during birth. Fractured bones happen frequently during difficult or breech births. Babies usually recover quickly from this injury.
- Cerebral Palsy: Approximately three out of every 1,000 children born in the U.S. today is diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. This disorder is characterized by lack of motor development, learning problems, muscle spasms, and problems with vision and hearing. There is not currently a cure for Cerebral Palsy.
- Brachial plexus injuries: This birth injury involves damage to the nerves that travel from the upper spine through to the neck, shoulder, arm, and hand. Damage to these nerves ranges from mild to severe. Erb’s Palsy can result from this sort of injury.
- Caput Succedaneum: Swelling of the scalp characterizes this injury, which can be caused by excessive pressure during birth.
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage/Intracranial hemorrhage: This birth injury involves bleeding in the skull under the two innermost layers. Long term neurological disorders commonly occur.
- Perinatal Asphyxia: This injury involves the deprivation of oxygen to the newborn. Twisted umbilical cords or delayed c-sections commonly result in perinatal asphyxia. It often has long term consequences on mental development.
The birth injuries set out above, along with many others, are often the result of medical malpractice. Birth injuries are not always easily recognized immediately following birth. If your delivery was not handled in a proper manner and you believe your child could have suffered a birth injury, it is best to consult with an attorney early on to ensure your child’s legal rights are protected.
Giddens Law Firm, P.A.: Fighting for Justice for Your Birth Injured Child
The seasoned Mississippi Birth Injury Attorneys at Giddens Law Firm, P.A. understand how heartbreaking a preventable birth injury can be. Our compassionate team of Mississippi birth injury attorneys will strive to lessen the financial hardship a birth injury can wrought. Call Giddens Law Firm, P.A. today at (601) 355-2022 to schedule your free consultation.