PA Birth Injury Law Firm
Birth Injury FAQs
What is a birth injury?
Birth injuries occur when a healthy baby sustains traumatic injuries during the birthing process. Examples of birth injuries include nerve damage, broken bones, oxygen deprivation to the brain or other internal organs, and hemorrhaging.
What is the difference between a birth defect and a birth injury?
A birth defect is an abnormality affecting a bodily function or body structure that arises due to the genetic composition of the parents. Birth injuries, on the other hand, are caused during labor and delivery, often in the birth canal.
What are the most common birth injuries?
- Fractured bones
- Erb’s Palsy or brachial plexus injury
- Cerebral Palsy
- Paralysis
- Hemorrhage or excessive bleeding
- Shoulder dystocia
- Cephalohematoma
- Spinal cord injury
- Sepsis or overwhelming infection
- Cord prolapse
- Premature birth
- Group B strep infections
What are the most common types of medical malpractice that cause birth injuries?
- Failure to respond to fetal distress or monitor condition of baby
- Misuse of forceps
- Inappropriate administration of Pitocin
- Failure to observe or respond to umbilical cord entrapment
- Failure to appropriately respond to bleeding
- Failure to attempt to delay premature labor
- Failure to control high blood pressure, eclampsia, or seizures of the mother
- Allowing labor to go on for too long
- Failure to administer oxygen during labor
- Delay in performing C-section
- Failure to recognize or treat placental abruption
- Failing to properly treat shoulder dystocia
- Failure to provide antibiotics when needed
Who is responsible for a birth injury?
Birth injuries may be caused by negligence on the part of your obstetrician, delivery doctor, nurse, midwife, pediatrician, neonatologist, paramedic, or anesthesiologist.
What should I do after a birth injury?
It is very important that your baby receives proper medical care and attention for the illness or injury that he or she suffers as a result of a birth injury. Similarly, if a mother is injured or contracts an illness due to a birth injury, it is vital that she receive adequate medical treatment as well. In addition, you may want to contact a Philadelphia PA birth injury lawyer who can help you hold negligent parties liable for the birth injury and obtain compensation on your behalf.
