After the labor and delivery process, the last thing a mother wants to hear is that something is wrong with her baby.
Unfortunately, many birth injuries are caused by medical mistakes. If the doctor and other medical staff are careless in some way, the baby is at risk of getting severely hurt.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common birth injuries that can result from medical malpractice:
Facial Paralysis
If an infant’s face endures too much pressure during the delivery process, the face may become paralyzed. This type of injury is most common when doctors pull a baby out with forceps or a vacuum extraction. In many cases, this injury clears up in a few weeks. However, if the case is severe, the baby could suffer total paralysis on the side of the affected face.
Cephalohematoma
This injury causes bleeding under the cranium and usually shows up several hours after birth. The most obvious symptom of this injury is a bump at the top of an infant’s head. Although the bump will usually disappear in a few months, it can result in side effects, such as jaundice, anemia and hypotension.
Brachial Palsy Injuries
Infants can suffer brachial palsy injuries when the nerves responsible for moving the arms and hands are damaged. These injuries are most commonly caused by excessive stretching and force during delivery. Other causes include a breech delivery, large infant weight and maternal diabetes. Symptoms of brachial palsy injuries include a claw-like hand appearance, limited movement on the affected side and abnormal muscle contractions.
Brain Injuries
If a doctor does not carefully monitor a baby immediately after birth or leaves it in the birth canal too long, that infant can be deprived of oxygen and suffer brain injuries. These injuries can lead to severe consequences, such as chronic seizures, cerebral palsy and other intellectual and physical problems.
Fractures
Newborns can suffer fractures to the clavicle if the delivering doctors pulls on them too roughly while they are in the breech position. Infants with this injury typically can’t move the arm on the side of the fracture. Fortunately, these fractures generally heal in a little over a week.
Hiring a Medical Malpractice Attorney
If your baby suffered an injury during the delivery process because of the doctor’s negligence, you likely feel devastated and at a loss of what you should do. The first thing you should do is schedule a consultation with an experienced medical malpractice attorney. You may be entitled to compensation. A medical malpractice lawyer Washington D.C. residents rely on can assess the details of your case and determine if you have a good chance of winning a medical malpractice lawsuit or not. If the lawyer believes you have a strong case, he or she can help you gather necessary evidence, identify expert witnesses and represent you in court. You deserve justice for what happened to your baby during the delivery process.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Cohen & Cohen, P.C., for their insight into medical malpractice.