Unfortunately for expectant parents, things do not always go as planned. Complications that arise during the labor and delivery process can injure the baby. These injuries can range from something as minor as a small bruise to more serious problems resulting in lifelong injury or disability.
If your infant has suffered a pre-natal or birth injury, and you need the help of an experienced and respected personal injury lawyer, contact the Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC for a free consultation. Joe Griffith Law Firm is dedicated to providing outstanding legal service to its clients and will fight to obtain all of the compensation due our clients under the law. Client satisfaction is the law firm's number one goal.
Regardless of severity, any injury to a child that occurs during the birthing process is known as a birth injury. The baby may suffer a physical injury that simply occurs during transit through the birth canal as the result of being born. In about three of every 100 births there is some type of serious birth injury.
Causes of birth injuries are varied, but here are the most common:
- Delay in ordering a cesarean section
- Failure to respond to bleeding
- Failure to respond to umbilical cord entrapment
- Failure to respond to fetal distress
- Misuse of vacuum extractors or forceps
- Poor care of newborn immediately following birth
Complications in the process of pregnancy, labor and delivery can result in a wide variety of complications for a newborn baby. Birth injuries vary greatly – from very minor to being so severe as to cause the death of the infant. Common types of birth injuries include:
- Skin irritations
- Temporary paralysis
- Fractured collar bone
- Fractured arm
- Cerebral palsy
- Brain damage
- Erb's palsy
- Brachial plexus palsy
Does your child have cerebral palsy? There is a chance that medical malpractice could be the cause. In most of the 10,000 cerebral palsy diagnoses each year, the direct causes for the birth injury will never be known. While most doctors, nurses, midwives, and hospital technicians provide a high standard of care for their patients, unfortunately, many families are harmed by medical mistakes. A physician may have misread fetal monitoring equipment, failed to diagnose fetal distress during labor, waited too long to perform a C-section, administered too much Pitocin, or failed to act in a timely manner.
If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to the negligence of others, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. The Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC has been instrumental in helping personal injury victims receive substantial awards for medical negligence claims. We will research the cause of your child's condition, and fight to obtain the maximum compensation allowed under the law.
Cerebral palsy, or CP, is a group of permanent disorders associated with developmental brain injuries that occur during fetal development, birth, or shortly after birth. It is characterized by a disruption of motor skills, with symptoms such as spasticity, paralysis or seizures. Cerebral palsy has been described as something of an "umbrella term" in that it refers to a group of different conditions. It has been suggested that no two people with CP will have an identical case even if they have the same diagnosis.
Perhaps your child has been diagnosed with Erb’s palsy. The cause of Erb's palsy is usually an event occurring at the time of birth. Many babies with Erb's palsy were larger than average at birth. However, newborns of all sizes, including premature babies, can suffer injuries causing Erb's palsy. Approximately 1 to 2 babies in 1,000 suffer from Erb’s palsy injuries at birth. About 1 in 10 of these needs treatment, while the others will spontaneously heal. The Erb's palsy treatment ranges from exercise and therapy to surgery and therapy.
No matter the diagnosis, JGLF urge you to inquire as to the cause of your baby’s injury. Joe Griffith is always available to speak with you, and if you are unable to come to the offices for an initial case sign-up, JGLF will send someone to you whether at home or in the hospital. JGLF will prepare a comprehensive, compelling case for your right to receive compensation. JGLF will investigate the facts, assess your claim, determine which parties and insurance companies are to be held responsible, organize all of the details of your case, and pursue it vigorously in settlement negotiations or at trial.
A statute of limitations applies to birth injury claims, placing limits on the amount of time families have to pursue a medical malpractice case. If your loved ones have suffered a child birth injury, contact the Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC, today, at 843-CALL-JOE (843-225-5563), or contact the firm via the online form.
