Brain Injury During Delivery
Physical trauma is to blame for many brain injuries caused during the delivery process. Doctors who use birthing tools like forceps improperly cause serious damage to the infant’s head. Infant brain injury can occur anytime the child is pulled or twisted in the birthing process.
Birth asphyxia is also a common cause of brain injury during delivery. This happens when the umbilical cord becomes wrapped around the child’s neck as the mother’s blood pressure skyrockets or plummets. Problems with the placenta being dislodged or stuck in the birth canal can also contribute to birth asphyxia. Any time oxygen is cut off to the brain for more than a few moments, brain injury can occur.
Brain Injury Symptoms at Birth
Symptoms of brain injury stemming from delivery are usually apparent from the moment the child is born. Abnormally shaped spines, abnormally large foreheads, incessant crying, and seizures can all indicate brain injuries. Feeding and sleep difficulties are also a red flag. In rare cases, though, symptoms can take several years to show up.
Was my child’s brain injury caused by negligence?
In order to pursue a medical malpractice case, parents need evidence that a doctor’s negligence or deviation from the standard of care caused their child’s brain injuries. Parents do not, however, need to be medical experts to bring a medical malpractice suit against the healthcare professionals responsible for the injury. By working with an attorney and team of medical witnesses, parents can be assured they have a good understanding of what went wrong to cause the child’s brain injury.
Compensation for Victims
Many children born with brain injuries require expensive care for the rest of their lives. This can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. For families seeking compensation from a negligent healthcare worker, recompense for medical care in both the past and the future is common. When a parent needs to quit their job to care for the child full time, their lost earning potential can also be factored into the settlement. The pain and suffering that the child endured and the emotional damage shouldered by the family can also be included.
Virginia Birth Injury Lawyers
If you believe your child’s birth injuries were caused by a healthcare worker’s negligence, call our attorneys to set up a confidential consultation. There is no obligation and no risk to you. Unless we win your case or settle, you won’t owe our firm any money.
Richard Serpe is listed in The Best Lawyers in America ® and have received an AV rating from the Martindale-Hubbell law directory, which is the highest distinction given. Many have been recognized by Super Lawyers ®– lawyers “who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.”
