Types of Birth Injuries

Our Ohio birth injury attorneys have experience identifying medical negligence

It is estimated that around 28,000 babies are injured every year during or shortly after birth. That’s more than 75 babies every single day! Although many babies are able to recover from their injuries, their parents may accumulate tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills that they cannot afford. In addition, many babies suffer from permanent injuries—or even death. In many cases, these devastating outcomes are preventable. At The Eisen Law Firm, our attorneys hold negligent medical professionals, such as doctors and nurses, accountable when their actions injure innocent babies. We aggressively pursue all avenues of recovery on behalf of our clients to ensure their legal rights are protected.

There are hundreds of types of birth injuries

Birth injuries may occur during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. They may also occur during the hospital stay that follows birth. Unfortunately, there are many different complications that may arise during each of these phases.

Birth injuries to the mother

A mother may suffer from injuries relating to pregnancy, labor, or delivery. Many of these injuries place the lives of both the mother and child at risk. Common birth injuries a mother may suffer include:

• Uterine rupture

• Incompetent cervix

• Infection

• HELLP syndrome

• Preeclampsia/eclampsia

• PRES – Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome

• Other Maternal morbidity

• Failure to diagnose or properly treat a condition

Birth injuries to the child

Birth injuries may have lifelong effects on a child. Some of the most commonly cited birth complications and injuries include:

• Cerebral palsy

• Delays in performing Caesarean sections

• Failure to recognize fetal distress

• Failure to diagnose or treat a condition

• Improper use of forceps, vacuum, and other tools

• Heart rate complications

• Brachial plexus injury

• Asphyxia

• Erb’s palsy/shoulder dystocia

• Falls and drops

• Stillbirths

Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and hospital errors

Once a baby has been born, other errors may occur during its stay at the hospital. These errors include:

• Improper ventilation

• Failure to resuscitate

• Failure to recognize distress

• Failure to diagnose or treat a condition

• Misdiagnoses

• Medication errors

• Developing sepsis or septic shock

• Development of seizures

• Kernicterus due to excessive jaundice and billirubin

• Communication errors

• Failure to keep thorough medical records

How do I know if my child’s injury was caused by a medical error?

There are three primary elements that must be proven in a birth negligence claim:

• The medical professional owed the patient a duty;

• The medical professional breached this duty by a negligent act or omission; and

• Due to this breach, the patient suffered damages.

Each of these elements must be proven for a claimant to prevail in a birth negligence case. If one of the elements is not proven, the claim may be dismissed.

Your birth negligence attorney is responsible for studying the facts of your case and determining if a claim for birth negligence is possible. When you meet with your birth negligence attorney, you should take all of your medical records, bills, and other documentation that involves your child’s injury, so that your attorney may review it. If you don’t have the records, your birth injury attorney should be able to assist you in obtaining all of the necessary records and documents.

Time is of the essence in birth injury claims

There are deadlines in place that limit how long claimants have to pursue legal action after a birth injury. Therefore, it is important to meet with an attorney as soon as possible. To schedule your free consultation with the experienced birth negligence attorneys of The Eisen Law Firm, call 216-687-0900 or visit us online.