The are a number of different birth injuries that may occur during the birthing process. These birth injuries, which are sometimes caused by medical malpractice, can affect the rest of the child’s life, as these injuries tend to go hand in hand with developmental problems, medical expenses, and several other health issues. Below are some of the more common birth defects and their symptoms.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy affects the brain and nervous system. It is one of the most common birth injuries, affecting nearly half a million people. Signs of cerebral palsy include problems or differences in limb movement, hearing, and cognitive ability. It is unfortunately common for infants with this birth injury to develop other disabilities throughout their life, as the condition affects the brain and therefore other portions of bodily development. 

Erb’s Palsy

Erb’s Palsy affects the nerves in the arms. This birth injury often causes paralysis in the upper arm. The development of an Erb’s Palsy birth injury can sometimes be caused by a doctor pulling incorrectly or too strongly on an infant during birth. Medical malpractice lawsuits have been filed against physicians who have allegedly caused Erb’s palsy.

Like cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy can range in terms of the severity of the injury. An infant may be unable to move their arm or experience loss of feeling or reflex due to their condition. 

Brain Injury

Brain birth injuries may be caused by a number of factors. Trauma during pregnancy, such as oxygen depravity and the misuse of forcepts, may lead to brain injury. Brain injuries may case problems that affect the child for their entire life and may have a large impact on future development. Medical malpractice lawsuits may also be filed in the case of physician error that has caused this type of birth injury.

Medical malpractice lawsuits may also be filed in the case of infant death due to birth injury.

Other common birth injures include:

• Oxygen Deprivation
• Mental Retardation
• Klumpke’s Palsy
• Retinopathy of Prematurity

Birth injuries often lead to sudden, steep medical expenses that parents now have to worry about in addition to constantly worrying about their child’s health. The child’s care, education, and future employment may be affected by birth injuries that could have been avoided. Sometimes symptoms of birth injuries are not discovered until months or even years after birth.

Birth Injury Lawsuits

Doctors and nurses may be guilty of medical malpractice that led to a case of birth injury. Recently, two nurses were accused of malpractice in a birth injury lawsuit after delaying to inform a doctor about an infant’s drop in heart rate, which eventually led to a birth defect. Additionally, doctors have allegedly misused birthing tools, leading to brain injury and other birth injuries.

While not all birth injures were the result of medical malpractice, it is important that parents who suspect their child’s condition was caused by medical malpractice consult a birth injury lawyer. Birth injury lawsuits may help a family with the unexpected cost of raising their newborn in addition to pain and suffering.