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Types of Birth Injuries

• Posted by Jeffrey Siler October 18, 2017 - Filed in Legal Topics - #Medical Malpractice  - 1,420 views

  There are many types of birth injuries that can happen. Some are temporary, while others can cause lifelong disability. Here’s what you need to know about some of the most commonly seen types of birth injuries.

   

  Brain Injuries During Birth

  Birth injuries to the brain can occur due to oxygen deprivation during birth, maternal infection, infant stroke, or infant infection. The most common brain injury that occurs during birth is cerebral palsy (CP). Oftentimes cerebral palsy can be prevented and is therefore frequently the result of negligence on the part of a physician or healthcare provider.

  Other brain injuries that can occur during birth include hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, which occurs as a result of oxygen deprivation during birth. Newborn jaundice can lead to kernicterus, in which the newborn brain is flooded with bilirubin, or the progression of a strep infection to meningitis.

   

  Physical Birth Injuries

  Physical birth injuries affect the way that muscles and bones function. These can include the following:

  • Brachial Plexus – An injury to the upper extremity of the arm that can cause weakness and nerve pain in the affected arm.
  • Erb’s Palsy – A form of brachial plexus in which the nerves of the upper arm are injured, resulting in loss of feeling or even total paralysis in the arm.
  • Klumpke’s Palsy – A form of brachial plexus in which damage to the nerves of the lower arm causes total paralysis of the arm, wrist, and fingers.
  • Shoulder Dystocia – A birth injury in which the baby’s head and shoulders get stuck behind the mother’s pelvic bone during delivery. This can cause oxygen deprivation, collarbone fracture, brachial plexus fracture, cerebral palsy, and death of the infant, as well as maternal hemorrhaging and uterine rupture.

   

  Contact the Birth Injury Attorneys of Siler & Ingber, LLP Today

  Unfortunately, birth injuries happen more often than you might think, and sometimes because of the negligence of a physician involved in the prenatal care or delivery. These types of injuries can often be avoided.

  If you suspect that your child’s birth injury occurred because of negligence or medical malpractice, we can help. Contact the attorneys of Siler & Ingber, LLP at 1-877-LAW-4343 or fill out the form on our website for a free consultation.