Hiring a Birth Injury Attorney
Engaging a New York birth injuries attorney is the best way to ensure your family receives all of the compensation they deserve. They are well-versed in medical malpractice laws and procedures, and conduct a thorough investigation into the case, consulting with experts.
They are able to identify and hold accountable medical professionals who have breached the accepted standards of care. They collect the required medical documents to prove negligence and medical malpractice.
Birth Injuries: Causes and Treatment
Based on the conditions and conditions that surround the birth and pregnancy, infants can suffer from various physical birth injuries. These injuries could be the result of fetal or maternal health problems or external triggers. The injuries could be minor that require no treatment at all, or severe with long-term negative effects on the child.
For instance, a lot of newborns may have slight bruising and swelling from the pressure applied during the birth process as they move through the birth canal. The skin of a newborn can be injured by instruments used during delivery such as vacuum extractors or forceps. This can result in abrasions to the forehead and around the eyes during face-first births or genitals in breech delivery.
Other serious birth injuries could be caused by excessive force or the use of force during labor and delivery. These conditions can lead to a number of issues, including skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). TBI can cause
cerebral palsy lawyer palsy as well as other neurological disorders.
This happens when a midwife or doctor causes overstretching of the brachial nerve, which is a set of nerves that run along the arm. Pulling on the shoulder and neck in order to speed up the delivery or during a strenuous labor can strain these nerves which could cause Erb's palsy or arm paralysis. This kind of birth injury is more likely to occur in large infants, or those born in a breech-position, or during a long and complicated labor.
Another grave birth injury is spinal cord trauma. It can be caused by excessive twisting or pulling during labor and delivery. This is especially true when a doctor uses vacuum extractors, forceps or other tools. This can cause the spinal cord to become compressed, which could affect motor skills balance and coordination and even control of bladder and bowel.
These serious birth injuries can lead to serious and sometimes irreparable impacts on the quality of life of a child. A lawsuit can help families with medical treatments as well as therapies and equipment to help lessen the impact of these injuries. It could also help with other expenses, such as taking care of a child has a better chance of a healthy, happy life.
Premature Delivery
Medical negligence during pregnancy, delivery and labor is a common cause of birth injuries. While many of them are unavoidable however, a substantial portion of them could be avoided by taking care of your prenatal needs and a careful medical approach during labor and delivery. Unfortunately, doctors and hospital staff are human, and occasionally make mistakes. Families may be entitled to compensation in the event of errors that result in birth injuries.
A lawyer for birth injuries would review the case and determine if there is an opportunity to file an action. They will also look over
medical negligence lawyers records and consult with experts to learn about the circumstances that led to the birth. The attorney will consider how the injury affected the child and parents, and also the economic implications of the injury.
In a birth injury lawsuit the first step is to establish that the doctor breached their duty of care. This is usually done by proving that the doctor was negligent during prenatal care, labor, and the birth. The doctor may not have monitored the health of the mother or the baby's heart rate, for example. They may have used excessive pressure during the birthing process, or missed signs that suggested problems with oxygen flow to the brain of the baby.
When a doctor breaches their obligation to care, it could have devastating effects. For instance the premature birth could cause serious health issues for the infant including brain damage or severe hypertension in the lungs. This can require long-term medical care and can result in the possibility of a lifetime of disability as well as loss of income.
A premature birth is one that takes place before 37 weeks of gestation, which is the average length of a normal pregnancy. It can happen due to various reasons, including an infection of the amniotic fluid or uterus or a condition in the mother such as severe preeclampsia or eclampsia, complications of the cervix, such as placenta previa, or a history of previous miscarriage or an abortion.
The infant's health is more likely to be impacted due to premature birth. They are more likely to die or have disabilities such as cerebral palsy, hearing and vision problems as well as developmental delays. They also are at higher risk of developing infections and respiratory disorders such as pneumonia. The risk of complications increase when the baby is born earlier a baby is born and also with a lower birth weight.
Abnormal Delivery Positions
Doctors, nurses, midwives and other medical professionals should be aware of the fetal position and presentation during
prenatal Injury attorney visits. This can be done by ultrasound or physical examination. Some fetal positions and presentations are dangerous and can cause birth trauma or complications such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in the event that they are not recognized and managed properly during labor and birth. Inability to identify and treat dangerous fetal positions and presentations is deemed medical malpractice and could result in a lawsuit for birth injuries against the negligent obstetrics provider.
The most commonly used delivery position is vertex, or head-first. This is the most ideal position for vaginal delivery since it allows the baby to enter the birth canal via its occiput, or forehead. The fetus that is in the "sunny side up" or the occiput posterior position poses more challenges for vaginal delivery. This is due to the fact that the neck is not stretched and the head has to be larger than normal to be able to pass through. This can lead to prolonged or delayed labor, and a need for an operative vaginal delivery or cesarean birth, and could increase the risk of complications including birth trauma and brain damage.
Breech presentations are a typical abnormal position for delivery. A baby who presents buttocks first is referred to as a frank position; a baby with one leg tucked underneath the other is referred to as a footling position. This position is more difficult to deliver when compared to the head-first or vertex position. It also increases the chance of complications, including a prolonged labor or an unabated labor, as well as the need for a vaginal birth operation or the need for a c-section.
Other delivery options that are unusual include a transverse, or sideways, delivery position and a compound, or hands and feet presentation, where either the buttocks or feet enter first. These are not as common and more difficult to deliver and increase the risk of complications including a prolonged or prolonged labor, fetal distress, resulting in a need for C-section or cesarean delivery, and a need for emergency care such as neonatal resuscitation. The external cephalic position could be used by a physician to try and get the baby in a more comfortable position. This involves pressing on the mother's stomach. But, this is a risky technique which should only be done only when absolutely required.
Birth Trauma
Birthing a baby is an exciting and frightening experience.