Birth Injury

Eight to ten out of one thousand babies born in the United States suffer birth injuries due to medical malpractice or negligence. Birth injuries or traumas range from mild to severe, from minor bruising to brain damage that causes life-long disabilities. Many birth injuries are preventable and caused by tragic errors. Infant head injury, permanent brain damage caused by fetal distress and physical injuries to the arms, shoulders and hans afe often the result of tragic errors and medical mismanagement.

The Most Common Birth Injuries

Some of the most common injuries sustained during labor and delivery may include:

Bruising from the use of forceps Swelling of the head Facial paralysis Brachial palsy (Erbs palsy and Klumpkes palsy) Brain trauma Fractured bones Cerebral palsy

Prolonged or difficult labor (dystocia) can result in injury to the baby. Dystocia causes oxygen deprivation to the baby and can cause cerebral palsy which is a chronic medical condition caused by damage to the brain of the baby during the birthing process.

The Most Common Causes of Birth Injuries

Some of the most common causes of birth injuries include the failure to take action as well as taking an action that causes an unwanted result, such as:

A failure to respond to fetal distress in a timely manner Delay in deciding to perform a cesarean section Misuse of forceps Misuse of vacuum extractor Failure to recognize and treat infections Inadequate management of bleeding

Evidence of a birth injury is not always apparent at the time of birth, but symptoms may appear days, weeks, months or even years after. The emotional and financial burden of caring for a birth injured child is devastating and may last a lifetime. An experienced birth injury attorney has the expertise to assess liability for the negligence that caused the injuries to your child at birth.

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• What is a Birth Injury and How Does it Occur?
• Erbs Palsy Facts by New York Birth Injury Lawyer