About 30,000 babies are born with birth injuries in the U.S. each year. Facial nerve and brachial plexus injuries are just a couple of the different types they sustain.
If your baby was born with an injury like this recently, consider discussing it with a birth injury lawyer. They will evaluate your case and let you know if they believe you should file a claim against the medical professionals responsible for the mishap.
Its cause will play a pivotal role in whether or not you should take legal action. Here are several common birth injury causes.
Infections
Pregnant women are routinely tested to ensure doctors don’t have any concerns about their health or the health of their unborn babies. However, some infections might go undetected, while others may be treated improperly.
In either of these instances, an infection like Group B streptococcus may negatively impact a mother and eventually put her baby at risk. An infection can lead to a baby’s brain swelling and also result in vision loss or cause them to go into shock.
A birth injury lawyer could prove negligence in a legal case if your medical team failed to detect an infection or neglected to treat one correctly.
Trauma
Childbirth is often a traumatic experience, even when everything goes right. Some women will deal with more trauma than others, and it may be detrimental to their babies’ health.
If, for example, a baby remains in a mother’s birth canal for too long, this may lead to injuries. If a doctor or nurse pulls on a baby’s arm or leg too hard while delivering them, this could also cause infant injuries.
Medical professionals must take steps to minimize the trauma that mothers and their babies are exposed to while childbirth is taking place. Otherwise, birth injury lawyers might pin blame on them for any injuries that newborns sustained.
Lack of Oxygen
During childbirth, there is a slight chance a baby might not have enough oxygen going to their brain. This may occur when:
- They don’t pass through the birth canal quickly enough
- They suffer from umbilical cord entrapment
- Their mother struggles with maternal anemia
Medical professionals are trained to prevent these problems from affecting a baby and/or mother, but unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen. A lawyer with experience handling birth injury cases will investigate any incidents involving babies sustaining injuries caused by not having enough oxygen sent to their brains.
Medical Errors
Sadly, medical errors have become common causes of many birth injuries. Medical professionals may make any number of mistakes before or during deliveries that lead to babies suffering.
These are some medical errors that they might make:
- Failing to spot fetal distress signs
- Using forceps improperly
- Neglecting to monitor vital signs
If you suspect medical errors may have led to your newborn sustaining injuries, talk to a personal injury lawyer about your concerns. They may recommend filing a lawsuit against the responsible parties, claiming medical malpractice or obstetrician negligence.
Give Us a Call Today To Speak With a Trusted Birth Injury Lawyer
So many factors may cause birth injuries. If your baby was born with injuries caused by medical errors made by doctors and/or nurses during your delivery, don’t hesitate to reach out to a birth injury lawyer from McLaurin Law, PLLC, for help. We will analyze your case and determine its viability so you can decide what you wish to do next.
Contact us at (713) 364-1895 to schedule a consultation so you can discuss cerebral palsy and other injuries with an attorney who has handled cases like yours.
