Most Common Types of Birth Injuries in 2016

The birth of your baby is supposed to be the happiest day of your life, but when doctors fail to do their job correctly, this joyous occasion can easily turn into a nightmare. Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor or member of the medical team acts negligently in the delivery of your baby, resulting in birth defects, and sometimes worse. An average of 7 out of every 1,000 births in the U.S. results in a birth injury. This equals 28,000 injuries per year, or 76 injuries every single day. Those numbers are alarming.
 

The most common birth defects resulting from medical malpractice include:

• Fractured Bones: Complicated deliveries oftentimes result in fractured bones. The collar bone is a commonly fractured newborn bone. These breaks may heal on their own, but sometimes require surgery.
• Erb’s Palsy: Erb’s Palsy, or Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy, affects an infant’s brachial plexus, or the muscles controlling the arms, shoulders, and arms. This condition occurs during birth when the baby’s arm or shoulder is grabbed with too much force.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: Excessive forceps use is commonly responsible for spinal cord injuries, the most serious of all newborn birth-defect injuries. Neurological problems and paralysis are the common effects of spinal cord injuries.
• Cerebral Palsy: Cerebral Palsy occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen or via excess use of forceps or other birthing tools. This occurs before, during, or after the birthing process. There is no cure for the 2 in 1,000 Cerebral Palsy patients, and the condition causes lifelong consequences, including growth and development.

These birth injuries are among the most common injuries experienced in the U.S., but certainly only a partial list of potential injuries. Any time a birth injury occurs, it certainly devastates a family and turns their life upside down. The child will likely need years of medical treatment and therapy, which can be costly and time-consuming. Your child didn’t ask to be injured; the responsible party should pay.

If your child was injured during birth and you suspect medical malpractice is the cause, do not let your intuitions pass you by without speaking to an attorney. You have rights, and your baby certainly didn’t deserve what’s happened. With an attorney handling your birth defects case, you can get cash for your child’s injuries that cover past and future medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Although each case is different, you can rest assured that a birth defects attorney will fight to get you the most money in your case.

Doctors take an oath to protect their patients. When they fail to protect the most fragile, tiniest of their patients, do not take the matter lightly. Your baby shouldn’t be suffering, and it is only right the medical team pays for the destruction they’ve instilled into your life. With a Philadelphia birth injury attorney, you can rest assured that you’ll get a cash settlement for your child’s injuries. While the accident can never be changed, an attorney can ensure that tomorrow is a brighter day.