At the Maher Law Firm, our Loudoun birth injury attorneys recognize that injuries that occur before, during, and after childbirth are among the most tragic forms of medical negligence. When an infant is born with or sustains a birth injury, the lives of both the child and family are forever altered. Still, ever year thousands of newborns suffer serious birth injury as a result of medical malpractice. In some instances, this negligence results in wrongful death. Though a birth injury can never be undone, our birth injury lawyers can at least help you obtain the financial compensation necessary to help meet the life-long needs of your child. Birth injuries are among the most tragic forms of medical negligence. Resulting in severe and permanent injuries to newborns, these cases usually arise as a result of trauma incurred in process of vaginal delivery. Shoulder dystocia and cerebral palsy are two terrible, all too common, forms of birth injury.
If your child has suffered a permanent disability as a result of hospital negligence, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. To speak with an experienced Loudoun birth injury lawyer, contact the Maher Law Firm. Schedule a free consultation, and learn about your legal options.
- Birth Injury Causes
- Common Birth Injuries
- Shoulder Dystocia and Brachial Plexus
- Cerebral Palsy and Brain Injury
- Infections (including toxoplasmosis, herpes simplex, and group B strep)
- Placental abnormalities
- Malnutrition
- Drug use (both prescription and illegal)
- Exposure to toxic chemicals
- Untreated high blood pressure, preeclampsia, eclampsia, toxemia, or diabetes
- Genetic defects or syndromes
- Unrecognized or untreated signs of fetal distress from pressure on the umbilical cord
- Untreated umbilical cord compression, prolapse, or occlusion
- Failure to perform a caesarian-section in a timely manner
- Dystocia — the baby becomes stuck in the birth canal too long
- Improper use of delivery forceps
- Excessive use of a vacuum extractor
- Improper reading or response to the baby’s vital signs
- Damage to the placenta by the birth process (placenta previa or placental abruption)
- Complications of severe prematurity, including:
- Hereditary conditions
- Untreated seizures
- Hypoxic brain injury
- Brachial Plexus
- Shoulder Dystocia
- Cerebral Palsy
- Erb’s Palsy
- Respiratory insufficiency
- Kidney damage
- Heart damage
Birth Injury Causes
In our experience with medical malpractice cases throughout the Loudoun area, our lawyers have represented many families whose children have needlessly suffered birth injury as a result of negligence before, during, and after childbirth. We handle birth injury lawsuits involving the following instances of malpractice: During Pregnancy
During Birth
After Childbirth
o problems with the heart,
o circulation,
o breathing,
o meconium aspiration,
o nutrition,
o infection,
o jaundice, or
o bleeding
If you have reason to believe that your child’s birth injury is the result of hospital negligence or medical malpractice, it is crucial that you seek legal counsel immediately. For more information about birth injury, contact the Maher Law Firm’s Loudoun birth injury lawyers today.
Common Birth Injuries
Our attorneys handle birth injury claims involving the following all-too-common injuries:
Shoulder Dystocia and Brachial Plexus
Shoulder dystocia is a medical term for when, during childbirth, a baby’s shoulder gets stuck behind the mother’s pelvic bone or in the birth canal. It is an obstetric emergency, requiring quick and careful action by the delivery team to avoid serious complications. In many cases, shoulder dystocia just requires some additional maneuvers by the medical team attending the birth. However, when shoulder dystocia is not treated properly or with due urgency, life-changing consequences – such as brachial plexus – may result.
Brachial plexus injuries – including Erb’s Palsy and Klumpke’s Palsy) affect the bundle of nerves that controls the muscles of the shoulder, arm, and hand. As a result of a brachial plexus birth injury, all or some of the muscles in the shoulder and arm may suffer paralysis.
Brain Injury and Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy refers to a group of chronic disorders that generally affect motor skills, muscle tone, and muscle movement. The effects of cerebral palsy vary from mild to severe. Victims may be affected only on one side of the body, or in the lower extremities more than in the upper. In the most serious cases, the entire body is affected, making full-time care a necessity.
Studies suggest that about one in every five children diagnosed with cerebral palsy sustained a preventable brain injury that led to the disorder. If this is the case, it may provide grounds for a birth injury lawsuit handled by one of our skilled Loudoun birth injury attorneys.
Contact a Loudoun Birth Injury Attorney
Everyone deserves the chance at a healthy, normal life and all the opportunities that accompany it. Unfortunately, preventable medical errors at birth sometimes lead to serious injuries that may handicap a child for life. If your child has the victim of a birth injury, our lawyers – serving Loudoun and California families statewide – may be able to help you hold the responsible parties liable for the costs associated with raising a disabled child.
If your child has been the victim of a preventable birth injury, attorneys at the Maher Law Firm are standing by to help. To discuss your potential claim and seek justice, contact our Loudoun birth injury lawyers today.
