In the United States, over 20,000 newborns are brought into the world with birth injuries every single year. Researchers at the National Healthcare Quality Report claim that a lot of the injuries that happen every year could’ve been avoided.
Medical staff, including assistants, lab technicians, nurses, pediatricians, and obstetric physicians, can be held liable for some of these tragic delivery and labor errors that can end up causing long-lasting damage.
The birth injury lawyers at Ivan Diamond Bronx Personal Injury Attorney know exactly what steps you’d need to take if you happen to be in this situation and want some reprieve.
It’s natural for parents whose newborn is a victim of negligence to have certain queries about what they need to do next. Here are some of the steps you can take when your baby gets injured during birth.
Requesting the Right Medical Attention and Evaluations
Most infants suffer from serious injuries that need the right medical care as well as ongoing assessment. However, some issues might not show themselves until weeks, or even several months after the damage occurred. If the baby or the mother herself is experiencing any complications at all, consult a healthcare professional immediately or dial for emergency services as soon as you can.
Recording the Series of Events
Start recording what happened in an injury journal. In this journal, jot down when you made your medical visits, what happened in each of these visits, and then summarize in your own words what happened from start to finish. Keep all the information you receive in a specific folder, including financial statements, test results, medical documents, treatment plans, and diagnoses. This way, all the information you gather can be easily presented in court when you’re trying to prove your claim.
Analyze Whether You Need Legal Assistance
After your child has received the care and support they need and is stable, you may want to strongly consider contacting an attorney. Lawyers who are experienced with cases involving birth injuries understand how to both collect and identify the evidence required to prove that your doctor didn’t act accordingly to ensure the safety of your child during birth. Furthermore, they can help you demonstrate that it’s possible the baby’s injuries could’ve been avoided if more immediate, effective, and reasonable medical care had been provided.
Types of Birth Injuries
Birth injuries are any kind of injuries caused to an infant before, during, or after the delivery or birth. Some of the most common types of injuries include:
Asphyxia: This condition is where there’s a drop in the baby’s blood oxygen levels during, just before, or right after the delivery. Asphyxia can be caused by several different birth complications and factors. The consequences of this particular complication can vary from temporary to permanent, as well as from severe to mild. The seriousness of the issue depends on things like how it’s treated and the asphyxia’s duration.
Cerebral Palsy: This neurological complication occurs when the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen. It typically leads to the impairment of the baby’s movement, muscle tone, and motor skills. Related problems can also include limited hearing or vision, low bone density, lung disease, speech difficulties, cognitive impairment, and learning disabilities. The effects of this disease vary widely from patient to patient and can either be debilitating or mild.
Facial Nerve Damage: Another common birth injury is the damage of the baby’s facial nerve during birth. This can happen when the doctor’s forceps compress the newborn’s nerve. Additionally, the nerve can get squeezed or pressed when the baby is in the birth canal as well. Asymmetrical face movements are a symptom of this medical issue.
