Birth Injuries May Not Appear Right Away

Birth injuries not only turn a joyous occasion into a call for concern, but can also leave a child with life-long consequences. Birth injuries occur when physical injury happens to a baby during childbirth. In the United States, roughly three out of 1,000 live births result in birth injuries. Certain factors can increase the risk of birth injury, or make them worse. A physician’s negligence can cause or worsen a birth injury. 

Some birth injuries are minor and temporary, like bruising from forceps during a difficult delivery. However, some more severe problems can occur. When the brain and nervous system are injured during delivery, this damage can affect a child for the rest of his or her life. 

When the birth injury affects the parts of the brain that deal with movement, it causes a type of disorder called cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy has several sub-types, depending on the specific type of damage and how it manifests. The damage from cerebral palsy can cause paralysis, involuntary jerky movements and numbness. While cerebral palsy often goes hand-in-hand with other types of brain damage, many people with cerebral palsy have normal intelligence, but have trouble expressing it due to difficulty speaking and moving. 

Birth injuries can also affect other parts of the nervous system. Brachial palsy occurs when a bundle of nerves that controls an arm is damaged. This type of injury varies wildly in severity, ranging from cases that spontaneously heal, require surgical correction, or in some cases the injury can affect a child for a lifetime. The damage can vary depending on the exact set of nerves damages, from a paralysis of the hand to complete loss of function in the arm. 

Lawsuits have been filed against physicians involved in cases of birth injuries. These birth injury lawsuits allege that the physicians’ negligence was a major factor in causing a child’s birth injuries. Such lawsuits may seek compensation for medical costs like physical therapy or financial costs like lost income potential. 

If you or someone you care about has had a child suffering from cerebral palsy, brachial palsy or any other possible birth injury, you have almost certainly suffered from a serious shock. Often, birth injuries can suddenly change the joy of having a child to concern as parents must now cope with having a child with severe disabilities. Additionally, birth injuries can even sneak up on families, since the damage may not be initially obvious. Sometimes, injuries like cerebral palsy may not become apparent until the child begins to miss certain developmental milestones, spurring further testing. In addition to the emotional toll of this situation, parents and the child face a lifetime of financial challenges, like lost income potential and medical costs. 

Regardless of the challenges you’re facing, it is important to remember that you still have rights, and there are steps that you can take to regain a measure of control over your situation. You can start by visiting the Medical Malpractice Birth Injury Lawsuit. Here, you can enter information about your situation for a review by a legal expert with a background in this type of litigation. This initial consultation is completely free of charge, and from here, you can receive additional guidance on the best steps you can take in your exact situation.