Types and Causes of Birth Injuries

According to statistics, 1 in 9,714 births in the United States include a birth injury. Every year, about 28,000 birth injuries are reported across the nation. The National Healthcare Quality Report estimates that 6.68/1,000 birth-related injuries occur to male infants and 5.08/1,000 occur to females.

This type of injury can range from mild to severe, resulting in different complications and conditions. The number of potentially preventable birth-related injuries indicates a significant deficit in the overall standards of care that patients receive from doctors and hospitals. Medical negligence is a serious problem and when it leads to birth injuries, it can give rise to medical malpractice lawsuits.

Common Causes of Birth Injuries

The joy of giving a birth to a child can quickly become a tragedy when a preventable birth trauma or injury occurs. A child can become permanently disfigured or disabled and need lifelong care, or even die, as a result of a birth injury or trauma. Birth injuries can be caused by a number of things, including:

· Miscalculation of the fetus size

· Premature or post-mature delivery of a child as a result of improper dating

· Medical problems and infections in the mother or the fetus

· Administration of incorrect medications during pregnancy and/or delivery

· Rh incompatibility

· Failing to monitor the fetus and lack of response to fetal distress

· Failing to perform a c-section on time

· Abnormal presentation, including shoulder dystocia

· Use of improper delivery instruments, or improper use of those instruments

· Failing to provide newborns with oxygen when necessary (hypoxia birth injury)

Types of Birth Injuries

When a baby is injured during labor and delivery, it can involve the brain or a number of other parts of the body. The consequences of such injuries can be mild, moderate or severe, and may be temporary or permanent. Some injuries may even cause death. Some of the common preventable birth injuries include:

· Brain injury, including Cerebral Palsy

· Untreated jaundice can result in Kernicterus

· Brachial plexus injuries, including Erb's Palsy

· Paralysis

· Spasticity

· Excessive bleeding

· Meconium aspiration

· Bleeding beneath the scalp or inside the skull

· Infections

· Bruising from forceps

· Clavicle fractures

· Skull fractures

· Hypoxia

· Cranial nerve trauma

· Spinal cord damage

· Soft tissue injuries

· Skin irritation

· Facial paralysis

· Stillbirth

In these types of birth injury, medical negligence may be the primary cause. Providers of obstetrical care have a responsibility to look out for and anticipate potential problems that are reasonably predictable under the given circumstances, and are liable to perform an intervention promptly during labor and delivery in order to prevent harm to the child, as well as the mother.

Get Expert Legal Help for Birth Injuries

If you suspect that your child may have suffered a birth injury or trauma as a result of medical negligence on the doctor or any other medical professional's part, you should immediately seek the help of a medical malpractice lawyer at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff, & Wolff of RMFW Law at 212-344-1000.

You can hold the negligent party liable for your child's injury and file a medical malpractice lawsuit to recover compensation to cover medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other damages.

Stop screaming at the hospital staff! That does you no good. The culprit is no longer assigned to your case and you may need one of other staff members on your side months down the line. We know how to win these types of cases. RMFW Law knows that you need a medical expert on your side for you to have a case at all. This takes time. This case will not be won over night.

Call us and let's start down this road together. If someone was negligent we will see to it that they pay a heavy handed price. We are not paid until you are paid. RMFW Law asks for not one cent upfront. We only take a percentage at the end. Call us today!