Birth injuries affect thousands of families each year, and although some injuries can be treated successfully without impacting the child’s quality of life, others can be long-lasting.

Birth injuries arise from when a physician fails to do what is needed to protect the life of the unborn child or causes injury during the birthing process.

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Here are Some of the Most Common Birth Injuries:

Meningitis

This injury causes inflammation of the membranes and causes fluid to accumulate around the spinal cord and brain. In newborns, the child can become irritable and experience stiffness in the neck. Parents notice a poor appetite and restlessness as well as fever and other complications.

Common Birth Injuries

Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS)

This is a lung disorder common in premature newborns, affecting about 10% of all premature children. This illness can cause the chest to retract, causing the child to experience difficulty breathing. The doctor has a duty to take certain preventive steps to make sure that the baby is safely delivered.

Cephalohematoma

This is a medical condition that causes bleeding and a lump to form on the top of the baby’s head within hours of being delivered. The body may heal within weeks of the injury but in some cases, the child does not completely recover until they are three months old. If the healing process isn’t successful, the baby can develop jaundice and their immune system can be compromised.

Forceps

This tool can cause bruising to the face and other parts of the body as the baby passes through the birth canal during delivery. The marks from the forceps can be temporary but, in some cases, forceps can cause deep lacerations to occur.

Vacuum Extraction

This can cause different types of birth injuries. Subconjunctival hemorrhage causes the blood vessels in the baby’s eyes to rupture. Facial paralysis occurs when a nerve is injured and is typically associated with forceps; surgery may be required for the baby to fully recover. Brachial palsy disturbs the function of the nerves in the arms and hands, making it difficult for the child to move their limbs freely.

A comprehensive review of the medical records by an experienced birth injury lawyer may be required in many instances. In the case of obstetric malpractice, the mother must be aware of her rights and consult with her attorney to ensure that justice is served.


Contact Experienced Birth Injury and Malpractice Lawyers

Talk To A Lawyer Near Me If your child suffered a birth injury, and you believe the injury was due to the negligence of a doctor or other medical professional, it is important that you speak to an attorney at McLaughlin & Lauricella immediately. Our attorneys can assess your potential case and determine whether the treating medical professional(s) failed to recognize and respond to fetal distress, whether a condition was not properly diagnosed, or whether delivery instruments were used too forcefully.

The medical malpractice attorneys at McLaughlin & Lauricella, P.C., have decades of experience representing Pennsylvania birth injury victims and their families across Philadelphia, Berks, Bucks, Dauphin, Delaware, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Montgomery, and Northampton counties. We also serve injured patients throughout the State of New Jersey. Contact us today at 215-568-1510 or fill out our confidential contact form to learn more about your legal options.