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Signs You Should Contact a Brooklyn Birth Injury Attorney
- Crying and arching the back
- Breathlessness
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Seizures
- Sensitivity to light
- Low heart rate
- Fever
- Jaundice
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Vision problems
- Hearing loss
- Low oxygen levels
- Spasms
- Poor reflexes
- Weak movement
- Skull fracture
- Asymmetrical movement
- Poor motor skill development
- Speech-related problems
- Intellectual disability
- Problems with normal walking
- Poor muscle coordination
- Excessive drooling
Main Causes of Birth Injuries
- Oxygen cut off by equipment
- Failure to notice fetal distress
- Strangulation by the umbilical cord
- Ordering a C-section too late
- Bone fractures
Signs That Develop in Infants
- Ataxia
- Difficulty walking
- Intellectual disabilities
- Muscle spasms
- Poor coordination
- Unable to sit or crawl
- Difficulty eating or drinking
- Inability to grasp small objects
Additional Symptoms
- Problems with motor skills
- Inability to speak full sentences
- Difficulty eating, drinking, or dressing
- Inability to draw circles or straight lines
- Hypertonia
- Blindness
- Deafness
- Muteness
- Shaky hands
Examples of High-Risk Pregnancy Conditions
- Diabetes
- Oligohydramnios
- Post-term pregnancy
- High blood pressure and preeclampsia
- Premature rupture of membranes (PROM)
- Obesity
- Twins or triplets
- Advanced maternal age
- Other health conditions
Types of Birth Injuries
- Failure to recognize fetal distress
- Failure to identify risk factors
- Umbilical cord problems
- Failure to diagnose infection
- Medication errors
- Errors with vacuum extractors
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a motor disorder caused by brain damage, head injury, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), or kernicterus.
Types of Cerebral Palsy
- Spastic cerebral palsy
- Athetoid cerebral palsy
- Ataxic cerebral palsy
Statistics You Should Know About Cerebral Palsy
- Up to 75% experience pain symptoms.
- More than 50% have intellectual disabilities.
- About 90% experience gastrointestinal disorders.
- About 20% suffer from sleep disorders.
- Up to 40% experience behavioral disorders.
- About 30% experience visual impairments or hip displacement.
- More than 40% experience seizure disorders.
Newborn Jaundice
Jaundice is found in about 60% of newborns and is caused by a buildup of bilirubin. Most cases are harmless and treated with light therapy, though severe cases may require a blood transfusion.
Femur Fractures
A femur fracture can occur if the leg is twisted during delivery. A Pavlik harness is an effective treatment for a femur fracture in a baby.
Growth Plate Fractures
Growth plate fractures are injuries that occur in children. Treatment often involves simply protecting the affected area, with complete healing taking a few weeks.
Kernicterus
This is a permanent brain injury caused by improperly treated jaundice. It can lead to cerebral palsy, bleeding in the brain, and related complications.
Brachial Plexus Injuries and Erb’s Palsy
These injuries occur when excessive force is applied to the baby’s head and neck during delivery. Erb’s palsy can lead to paralysis, weakness in the affected arm, loss of sensation, absent motor reflexes, and a permanently flexed arm position.
Caput Succedaneum
This condition involves swelling of the soft tissues in the scalp. It is common in babies delivered with vacuum extraction and often resolves without complications.
Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL)
This birth injury is caused by oxygen deprivation. If your child has suffered from it due to negligence, you may be entitled to compensation.
Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries interrupt the connection between the brain and the body. They are caused by trauma to a specific area of the spinal cord, and severity can range from mild to severe.
Spinal cord injuries can result from medical malpractice — for example, the improper use of forceps. Roughly seventeen thousand people experience a spinal cord injury each year.
Cephalohematoma
Cephalohematoma is an accumulation of blood beneath the skull bone. It is generally not life-threatening and can often resolve without surgery.
Shoulder Dystocia
Shoulder dystocia occurs when a baby’s shoulders become stuck in the birth canal. It is often preventable with adequate monitoring, so your doctor should guide you carefully throughout your pregnancy.
Risk Factors for Shoulder Dystocia
- Larger-than-normal fetus
- Multiple babies
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Late delivery
- Induced labor
- History of dystocia
- Operative vaginal birth
Clavicle Fracture
A fractured collarbone can result from a difficult vaginal delivery.
Facial Paralysis
This injury occurs when the facial nerve is damaged. It can be either temporary or permanent.
Delayed Diagnosis of Heart Defects
Some children have congenital heart defects, which can be structural or functional.
Maternal Injuries
C-section deliveries can cause serious complications, including severe bleeding. Healthcare professionals are responsible for managing the risk of these injuries.
Wrongful Death
Most birth injuries do not cause the death of an infant, but it is possible. Each year, some babies die due to injuries sustained at birth. In such cases, our Brooklyn birth injury lawyers are here to help.
Injuries to the Mother
Pregnancy can take a serious toll on a woman’s body, and medical negligence can cause irreversible damage. Common maternal birth injuries include injury to the pelvic floor, femoral nerve dysfunction, lumbosacral plexus injury, muscle and nerve damage, and tearing of the perineal area.
Types of Injuries a Brooklyn Birth Injury Lawyer Can Handle
- Swelling of the head
- Broken blood vessels
- Fractured collarbone
There are many factors involved in an injury-free birth, and there are several ways medical malpractice can harm mothers and babies during labor. Medical professionals should always prioritize the safety of both mother and child.
If your baby sustained injuries as a result of medical negligence, you may have the right to compensation. Do what’s best for your child by hiring a Brooklyn birth injury lawyer. We pursue legal action against the hospital responsible for your child’s injuries. Contact our law firm to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Brooklyn birth injury lawyer. A knowledgeable attorney at Brooklyn Injury Attorneys, P.C. is ready to assist you with professional legal services.