Birth Injuries
Birth injuries occur thousands of times each year in the United States. Many birth injuries have been proven to be due to negligence or even reckless conduct on the part of physicians, midwives, nurses and other healthcare personnel. It’s estimated that about 27 of every 1,000 births in the U.S. result in a birth injury each year (although this number also counts unavoidable injuries such as a breech delivery injury). The medical care of a baby and its mother before, during and soon after the baby’s delivery is a critical time that should never be the cause of an avoidable injury.
Types of Birth Injuries
The definition of ‘birth injury’ is any type or degree of damage to a newborn baby's body before, during, or soon after birth. Thus, a wide variety of conditions count as birth injuries, from minor or temporary injuries to injuries that are fatal. Some of the most common categories of birth injuries are:
- brachial plexus palsy
- brain damage
- cerebral palsy
- Erb's palsy
- fractured bones
- Group B strep
- skin irritations
- temporary paralysis
Possible Causes of Birth Injuries
There are many possible types of negligent medical care that can cause a birth injury, including:
- delay in performing a necessary Cesarean section (C-section)
- miscalculating the size of the baby, causing a traumatic delivery
- delegating important procedures to inexperienced or junior staff or nurses
- failing to identify and treat conditions such as maternal and fetal infections, maternal or gestational diabetes, and Rh incompatibility
- failing to respond appropriately to delivery complications
- improper birthing techniques
- mishandling of the baby's delicate skull
- applying undue force during the baby’s delivery (e.g., during forceps or vacuum extraction)
- deprivation of oxygen or a lapse in the supply of oxygen
Contact Attorney Brett H. Oppenheimer
If your child suffered a birth injury and you suspect that his or her injury was caused by medical negligence, contact the Louisville birth injury lawyers at the Kentucky office of Brett H. Oppenheimer, PLLC and schedule a private, no-cost consultation to discuss your concerns and options. We look forward to helping you.
