There should be nothing as joyous as the arrival of a new baby. After nine months of waiting the day finally comes. For some parents though that joy turns to tragedy when something goes horribly wrong either during or just after the birth. Sometimes everything has been done to prevent such occurrences, but sometimes these injuries are the result of negligence by a doctor, midwife, or hospital staff.
There are all kinds of injuries that can result at birth including these most common ones:
- Skull fractures – these are sometimes caused by forceps, less often by vacuum, and occasionally by accidental stabbing with intrauterine devices.
- Shoulder dystocia – damage of varying severity is caused to the nerves. This usually occurs when the baby becomes stuck behind the pelvis during delivery. If the situation is not recognized and the baby is pulled out it can result in trauma to the shoulder causing nerve damage (brachial plexus). It is also cause ‘Erbs palsy’. and the collar bone can be broken.
- Broken bones – these can occur from too much force using forceps, from breech births and from shoulder dystocia
- Cerebal palsy birth injury- this can be caused by a lack of oxygen to the baby’s brain during delivery.
- Brain injuries – these are commonly caused by an infection during pregnancy, lack of oxygen during delivery, or bleeding in the brain due to poor delivery techniques.
- Anoxic encephalopathy – this can occur when the umbilical cord gets squashed or knotted cutting off oxygen to the brain. Brain damage of any degree and/or cerebal palsy is the most likely result.
- Refusal or delay of C-section birth operation – this can also result in lack of oxygen to the brain and fetal distress.
- Avulsions – these are usually caused by medical instruments. Part of the skin is torn away revealing the tissue underneath. Sometimes this can be something like an eyelid, a nerve, an ear or even a limb.
There are all kinds of complications and conditions that can occur. Some of them can be repaired or healed through surgery or may correct themselves over time. Other injuries are irreversible. Whatever the case may be it is always traumatic for the baby and for the parents too. There are some people who feel that parent’s should just accept what has happened and consider them money –grabbing when they decide to take out a case for negligence.
Many of those children affected will require on going, and expensive, medical care and day to day support. If a parent feels that a birth injury has occurred because of medical negligence they should contact a lawyer as soon as possible. Lawyers who specialize in birth injury cases are familiar with all the specifics involved. They are usually also sympathetic to understanding the trauma that parents are going through. Going through a birth injury experience and lawsuit is a stressful and life-changing experience that none of us would wish to face.
More Information On Birth Injuries and Medical Malpractice Contact Searcy Law, Serving All Of Florida.