Birth Injury
When a newborn child is injured during birth the implications for the family can be profound. While many birth injuries are the result of the natural process, some may be caused by hospital or doctor negligence. There is a standard of care associated with delivery of and care for a newborn. When hospital personnel or the doctor fails to live up to this standard of care, they may be liable to compensate the family for those birth injuries.
One major cause of birth injuries is oxygen deprivation, which commonly occurs when the umbilical cord is compressed and/or twisted in the birth process. The other main cause is mechanical trauma which may occur when the baby assumes an unusual position at the time of birth. Complications in the process of pregnancy, labor and delivery can result in a wide variety of complications for a newborn baby. Birth injuries vary greatly - from very minor to being so severe as to cause the death of the infant.
Some other common types of birth injuries include:
- Skin irritations
- Temporary paralysis
- Fractured collar bone; fractured arm
- Cerebral Palsy
- Brain damage
- Erb's Palsy
- Brachial Plexus Palsy
The most serious birth injuries involve damage to the infant's brain, causing, traumatic brain injury, seizures and mental retardation. These brain injuries are caused by oxygen deprivation or bleeding inside the brain from trauma during pregnancy, labor or delivery.
If you or someone you know needs the assistance of an experienced Maryland medical malpractice attorney, call Otway, Russo & Rommel, P. C. today at 866-435-2716, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule a free consultation.
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