When doctors or medical professionals operate and handle the birthing process in a negligent manner, this may result in birth trauma causing serious injuries or even death. If you feel that your healthcare provider or medical professional involved in the birthing process was negligent in any way that rises to the level of medical malpractice, you may have the legal right to pursue compensation for your injuries, or for your child’s injuries.
Learn how a Los Angeles birth trauma lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444 can help you understand how you can seek justice for your injuries or losses.
Types of Birth Traumas
In many cases, neonatal injuries suffered by a baby affect their head, shoulders, and neck, as a healthcare professional or physician attempts to remove the baby from the birth canal. In their attempt to do so, if done negligently or incorrectly, serious injuries or even death may result. Some of the types of birth traumas to babies, according to StatPearls, include the following:
Caput Succedaneum
Caput succedaneum involves the swelling of the scalp of the baby either during or immediately after the birth process. Typically, this occurs either from the pressure of the mother’s vaginal wall or uterus or as a result of the use of vacuum extraction devices during the birthing process. Complications of caput succedaneum may include jaundice.
Cephalohematoma
A baby has a protective membrane that covers their skull. When this area accumulates too much blood, it is often the result of cephalohematoma, which occurs several hours after the delivery of the baby. While cephalohematoma presents itself as lumps on an infant’s head, it can develop into jaundice without immediate treatment.
Broken Bones
If your baby suffered any broken bones as part of the delivery process, there may be cause for concern and warrant an investigation to determine if medical negligence was the cause of the injury. The birthing process is inherently a stressful one, for both mother and child, and bruises may occur as medical practitioners use forceps or vacuum extraction to attempt to remove the child from the birth canal.
If these medical extraction devices are not used with proper care, they can actually break the bones of the infant. In extreme cases, a nurse, doctor, or another healthcare provider may actually drop the baby, resulting in broken bones as well.
Bell’s Palsy
If a baby’s facial nerves suffer damages during labor or the birth process, it may cause enough nerve damage to develop into Bell’s palsy. If a baby cannot seem to move any of the muscles on one side of their face when they cry, they likely developed Bell’s palsy during their birth. If the damage remains severe enough, the baby may need surgery in order to restore proper muscle function to the facial area.
Brachial Plexus Injury
If a baby’s shoulders get stuck in the birth canal, and a doctor pulls too aggressively on one of the baby’s arms in an attempt to extract the baby from the birth canal, it may result in a brachial plexus injury. The severity and permanency of this birth trauma injury will depend on the facts and circumstances of the event; however, some cases remain permanent with significant nerve damage.
Oxygen Deprivation
Oxygen deprivation can result in several different types of birth traumas and injuries to a newborn. If a child remains in the birth canal for too long, they will not have enough oxygen. In some cases, the lack of oxygen will cause a child to have cerebral palsy, which is a lifelong and permanent disability that impacts the ability of a child to control their muscles, posture, and movements.
Additionally, oxygen deprivation may cause partial or total blindness, hearing loss, learning disabilities, and other medical complications.
Medical Negligence Related to a Birth Trauma
In some cases, medical negligence rising to the level of medical malpractice is the cause of these types of birth traumas and birth injuries. Some of the types of medical negligence that cause birth trauma may include the following:
- Failure to perform a Cesarean section (C-section) in an appropriate amount of time.
- Failure to handle the extraction of a child from the birth canal without excessive force or pulling.
- Failure to appropriately use a medical device, such as a vacuum extractor or forceps.
- Failure to recognize and treat any apparent medical condition involved or relating to the birth process.
- Failure to address and treat any medical emergency developing during or immediately after the birthing process.
If you suspect that your child suffered a birth trauma as a result of medical negligence any medical professional involved in the birthing process, you may have the legal right to pursue justice and compensation for your child’s injuries. Learn how a Los Angeles birth trauma lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help you with your next legal steps.
For a free legal consultation with a Birth Trauma Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 794-0444
Timeline to File a Medical Malpractice Claim in California
The timeline to file a medical malpractice claim in the state of California, according to the Code of Civil Procedure Section 340.5, is three years following the date of the medical malpractice or one year from the date of discovery, whichever comes first. While this may seem like a long period of time, birth trauma cases can take a considerable amount of investigation and resources.
Los Angeles Birth Trauma Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Learn How a Los Angeles Birth Trauma Lawyer Can Help
You may feel overwhelmed and terrified following the birth trauma of your child. Learn how a
Los Angeles birth trauma lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444 can work with you and your family to ensure that you seek justice and compensation for the injuries and losses resulting from a medical practitioner’s negligence.
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