Learning When You Should Contact a Birth Injury Lawyer

Nothing can really prepare a parent for the heartbreaking news that comes after a difficult pregnancy and delivery of your baby. The beautiful and joyous emotions of welcoming a new child into the world may be overshadowed by negative sentiments of despair, rage, and confusion when you receive the sad news that something is wrong. A birth injury lawyer should be consulted if you have any worries about your child’s damage.

Birth injury attorneys assist families who preventable birth injuries have been harmed by providing proper justice. Personal injury law deals with birth injuries in an exact way. Unlike other types of injuries, birth injuries might take months or years to manifest. So, when should you contact them?

When a birth injury is discovered, and you suspect medical malpractice is to blame.

The carelessness of healthcare practitioners and others responsible for your care during the labor and delivery process may result in a birth injury lawsuit. You should contact a birth injury attorney and seek legal guidance if you believe it’s due to medical malpractice.

Take note that you may only have a limited amount of time to initiate a medical malpractice case. Every state has regulations limiting how long a person can file a lawsuit. Working with an expert lawyer is the best and only method to learn about your state’s statutes of limitations.

So, what are those types of injuries?

Damage to the brain

Because their bodies are frail and still developing, babies have an increased risk of brain injury. It is brought on by a lack of oxygen in the brain, infections, head trauma, and other physical traumas.

Jaundice

The skin of a baby with jaundice turns yellow. Jaundice develops when a baby’s body cannot metabolize bilirubin, a pigment that blood cells excrete as waste.

Damage to the spinal cord

When doctors pull on a baby’s neck or back during birth, it can cause spinal cord damage. These injuries are incurable and result in permanent impairment.

Cerebral and Erb’s Palsy

Cerebral paralysis is a disease that happens before, during, or shortly after delivery when the brain of a newborn is damaged. The said disease leads to both physical and psychological issues.

When a baby gets caught in the birth canal after labor, Erb’s palsy (brachial plexus palsy) ensues. Erb’s palsy causes a weakening or paralysis of the baby’s hand, arm, or shoulder.

Hematoma

The most common cause of infant hematomas is head trauma, which can occur when a doctor uses excessive force to deliver a baby. This occurs when the blood is being collected between the person’s skull and brain.

Stillbirth

Also known as intrauterine fetal demise. This happens when a baby dies in the womb before being born. Umbilical cord accidents and fatal illnesses frequently cause intrauterine fetal death.

Kernicterus

When bilirubin levels, the same pigment that causes jaundice, pile up in the brain, it causes permanent harm.

Problems in vacuum extraction

Vacuum extractors misused can harm a baby’s scalp and possibly cause a brain hemorrhage.

The shock of hearing the bad news may cause a cascade of emotions, but try not to let your feelings distort your judgment. As mentioned, filing a lawsuit with a birth injury lawyer may be limited. If you wait too long and file after the deadline, your right to suit may be permanently lost. So the next step should be to contact an expert to handle that kind of situation. As much as we love our babies and want to pour our emotions on what happened, what you’re about to do is something that they will appreciate.