Did Your Child Suffer A Birth Injury?
Birth injuries result from physical trauma that a baby experiences during labor and delivery. Some birth injuries are only temporary and dissipate within weeks of birth. Others have the potential to cause lasting health problems for the baby.
Cerebral And Erb’s Palsy
Although often linked, these two conditions are quite distinct:
- Cerebral palsy is often the result of brain damage during birth. It can occur in many ways such as if the baby stays too long in the birth canal without receiving sufficient oxygen or if forceps are used improperly. The effect and extent of cerebral palsy depend on how the brain damage occurred and whether it was severe.
- Erb’s palsy, also known as brachial plexus injury, results from nerve damage to the shoulder of the baby during birth. It causes paralysis or weakness of the arm. The nerve damage typically occurs when the shoulder is pushed or pulled, resulting in stretching or tearing of the nerve tissue.
Other Common Birth Injuries
Fetal anoxia, the lack of sufficient oxygen supply, can occur during difficult births and can lead to brain damage. This is also known as hypoxic-anoxic brain injury.
Facial paralysis can be the result of pressure during birth or the improper use of forceps. Although in many cases babies recover completely within weeks of the birth, surgery may be required in severe cases. If you suspect a birth injury suffered by your child was avoidable with proper medical care, contact Oakland lawyer Robert Schock to discuss your options.
Common Causes Of Birth Injuries
Although birth injuries can occur through no fault of the doctor, medical negligence is sometimes the cause, including the following errors:
- Failure to properly respond to maternal or fetal bleeding complications or to placenta previa
- Failure to recognize fetal distress
- Improper use of forceps or vacuum extractor
- Unreasonable delay in the delivery of a large baby, performing a cesarean section or resuscitating a baby who is not breathing
When selecting an attorney, it is vital to choose someone who understands that ample financial resources and quality medical care can give your baby the best possible chance for a full recovery and a healthy, happy future. The Law Offices of Robert G. Schock has a successful track record of achieving favorable settlements and verdicts so parents can afford to treat and care for their injured babies.
Consult A Knowledgeable Birth Injury Attorney
At the Law Offices of Robert G. Schock, we have the knowledge and experience to help parents of injured babies obtain the compensation they deserve after a medical malpractice incident. Call a lawyer at our firm today 510-922-0887 or contact us online. By achieving a favorable settlement or verdict, parents can recover monetary damages that enable them to treat and care for their child’s injuries.