Hempstead Birth Injury Lawyer

The delivery of a child is a joyful time for most families. However, when something goes wrong in the delivery room, a newborn baby can suffer a birth injury that could affect their future.

If you believe your child developed a serious birth injury because of the negligent or reckless actions of a medical provider, with the help of an experienced medical malpractice attorney, your family could pursue financial compensation in a civil lawsuit. A seasoned Hempstead birth injury lawyer from Duffy & Duffy could review the details of your case to see if your family has grounds for a damages claim.

Examples of Different Types of Birth Injuries

A birth injury typically occurs during delivery or just before a baby is born because of a mismanagement of care. A birth injury can cause infections or affect your child’s brain development, muscle development, or nerve functioning. While some birth injuries are temporary and resolve on their own or with minor medical treatment, others result in life-altering physical or cognitive effects.

Erb’s Palsy

Babies can suffer damage to arms and hands if an obstetrician has difficulty delivering the shoulder and causes nerve damage. If a child develops brachial or Erb’s palsy, they cannot fully rotate or flex the affected arm.

Caput Succedaneum

When a doctor uses delivery tools such as a vacuum extractor, a baby could develop swelling of the scalp's soft tissue. This is a potentially serious condition.

Bell’s palsy

Bell’s palsy is a type of facial paralysis caused by injury to the facial nerves during delivery. It often develops when doctors use forceps.

Broken Bones

During difficult deliveries, babies can break bones. Most commonly, collarbone and shoulder fractures occur, especially during breech deliveries.

Oxygen Deprivation

A lack of sufficient oxygen at or immediately after birth can lead to lifelong health problems. A baby can experience oxygen deprivation if the umbilical cord is wrapped around their neck or if the mother suffers a placental abruption. Lack of oxygen for even a short period can result in permanent disabilities, including cerebral palsy, hearing problems, vision impairment, seizures, motor impairments, and learning disabilities.

Spinal Injuries

Difficult deliveries can also lead to spinal injuries, causing neurological functioning problems. Spinal cord injuries frequently develop after the misuse of forceps.

One of our experienced Hempstead attorneys could review your child's delivery records and work with medical experts to identify what caused their injuries.

What Types of Mistakes Can Cause Birth Injuries?

The most common types of medical negligence that cause birth injuries are:

• Failure to detect maternal or fetal distress and order an emergency C-section in time to prevent a problem
• Improper use of birth assistance tools, such as vacuums and forceps
• Pulling a baby too hard during delivery
• Not recognizing or treating maternal infections, which could cause infection in the baby
• Failure to diagnose a potentially serious medical condition
• Medication mistakes

Anyone involved in the delivery process can contribute to a birth injury, including obstetricians, emergency room doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, EMTs, midwives, and other healthcare professionals. Our Hempstead lawyers could guide you through a malpractice claim against all responsible parties to maximize potential compensation for your baby's mismanaged delivery.

Contact a Birth Injury Attorney in Hempstead Today

Having a child should be a happy experience. However, if the medical staff you trusted to bring your child into the world made a mistake, your newborn baby could suffer severe health complications.

We are here to help your family recover fair compensation for your losses. Contact a Hempstead birth injury lawyer at Duffy & Duffy Law today to discuss your case.