As a new parent, one of the most devastating things to hear is that your baby suffered an injury while being brought into this world. The pain of knowing your child was harmed prior to taking his or her first breath can be unbearable. What you may not realize is that your baby's injury may have been preventable.
Doctors, surgeons, nurses and other health care professionals have a duty to treat patients with responsible care. If a delivery physician or assisting nurse acted negligently, you deserve compensation. Below are some of the birth conditions and injuries that often occur from malpractice:
- Brachial plexus injuries
- Cerebral palsy
- Shoulder dystocia
- Brood damage
- Facial paralysis
- Fractured bones
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is one of the most common types of birth injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 303 children have cerebral palsy. The condition impairs movement and motor function and can be caused by lack of oxygen to the brain, meningitis, infection and trauma to the skull or brain. Doctors who do not perform deliveries with the utmost sensitivity may cause this debilitating condition.
Let an attorney help you fight back
If you believe your baby is the victim of medical malpractice by a hospital or doctor, you may want to seek help from a lawyer as soon as possible. He or she can review your case and begin investigating the circumstances of how your baby was harmed. Your attorney can then assist you in filing a claim against whoever is responsible.