Sometimes during the childbirth process, an infant suffers a physical injury or trauma. This is called a birth injury.
There are a number of factors that can result in birth injuries. Common causes include breech birth (when the baby’s buttocks and/or feet are positioned to deliver first), fetal distress, and shoulder dystocia (when the infant’s head and/or shoulder gets wedged behind the pubic bone of the mother).
Birth injuries can also be the result of oxygen deprivation during delivery, or a bump or compression of the infant’s head. Oxygen deprivation or bumps/compressions can cause brain injuries that then lead to cerebral palsy and other complications.
Oftentimes, mothers think their child’s condition is a result of something they did wrong. On the contrary, it’s quite possible that the baby’s birth injury is a result of medical malpractice and was caused by the doctors, nurses, or hospital that cared for the mother & baby during and after birth.
It’s important to understand your legal options if you believe your baby’s birth injury is the result of medical malpractice or negligence. Contact us today to speak with one of our legal counselors and learn why this may have happened to you, and what you can do about it.