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, 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.