Types of Birth Injuries
Birth Injury Lawyers in New York
There are several types of birth injuries which can occur due to complications during delivery. New York birth injuries can range from temporary, minor bruising to cerebral palsy, an irreversible condition which can have a devastating effect on the child. Because many birth injuries can be prevented, mothers who bore children with serious birth injuries may have legal recourse if their doctor, nurse or obstetrician acted negligently.
The New York birth injury attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy believe that children who were born with serious and preventable birth injuries should not be denied the medical and financial assistance needed to treat and manage their condition. To find out if our New York birth injury lawyers can help you recover financial compensation for your child’s injuries, complete our no cost, no-obligation case review form today.
Common Birth Injuries in New York
There are several stages during the delivery process in which a child can be injured. Types of birth injuries which can occur during delivery include the following:
- Bone fractures
- Nerve damage
- Umbilical cord entrapment
- Facial paralysis
- Forceps or vacuum injuries
To decrease the likelihood of these birth injuries, medical professionals are required to monitor the vital signs of the mother and child and to act quickly should problems arise. If they fail to properly monitor the patient, the infant may suffer a permanent birth injury, which may serve as grounds for a New York birth injury lawsuit.
Cerebral Palsy and Erb’s Palsy
Two common types of birth injuries which may warrant legal action are cerebral palsy and erb’s palsy. Cerebral palsy is a type of birth injury which develops when the child’s oxygen supply to the brain is reduced. Cerebral palsy can develop if the treating obstetrician does not properly monitor the progression of labor, as well as child’s vital signs, through frequent vaginal examinations and electronic fetal heart monitoring. This type of birth injury can also occur if the doctor fails to order a timely C-section after noticing that the child is improperly positioned. Erb’s palsy, on the other hand, is a type of injury caused by physical force on the infant, resulting in paralysis, reduced muscle control and loss of sensation in the shoulders, arms or hands. Erb’s palsy generally develops during a difficult delivery when the child gets stuck under the mother’s pelvic bone and the doctor grips the child’s head in attempt to release him or her.
New York Birth Injury Lawyers
When a child is born with erb’s palsy, cerebral palsy or another type of birth injury, the parents will need to pay for specialized care and medical treatments, which can result in expensive medical bills. In fact, it will cost an estimated $900,000 to care for a child with cerebral palsy over their lifetime. However, if the birth injury resulted from medical negligence, the family may be able to file a claim to recover compensation for medical bills and other damages. There is a time limit for filing birth injury cases, so those wishing to seek financial compensation are advised to act quickly. Find out if you can participate in a New York birth injury lawsuit to recover financial compensation by completing our FREE case evaluation form. The New York birth injury attorneys at our firm are providing this online legal consultation at no cost and remain committed to those who have been needlessly injured at birth in New York.