A birth injury is a devastating event, no matter the cause. However, when birth injuries are the result of medical negligence, victims have the right to pursue compensation for the losses they have suffered.
Some birth injures are the result of complications no one could have foreseen or prevented, but others are the direct result of negligence on the part of obstetricians, nurses and other medical professionals.
Common causes of birth injuries include:
- Oxygen deprivation: When a baby suffers a brain injury during birth, it is usually the result of inadequate oxygen to the brain, or hypoxia. Oxygen deprivation can be caused by improper monitoring of the baby, kinked umbilical cords and other errors by the medical staff. Hypoxia can cause cerebral palsy and other conditions that affect the child for life.
- Medication errors: If the mother is given improper medication prior to or during childbirth, both she and the child may suffer as a result. Serious injuries can result from the wrong dosage or type of medication as well as from harmful interactions between drugs or between drugs and certain types of food.
- Improper manipulation of the baby during delivery: Improper use of forceps and other errors during childbirth can result in broken bones, brachial plexus injuries (a common cause of Erb's palsy) and other serious injuries to the child or mother.
If you or your child have suffered an injury due to negligent medical treatment, you have the right to pursue compensation for your losses. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can investigate the facts and circumstances of your case to uncover the cause of the birth injury and help you seek fair and just compensation for your losses.
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