Types of Birth Injury

Of every 1,000 babies born in the United States, 6 to 8 are born with a birth injury. This means that roughly 1 in every 9,714 people in the country is born with some type of a birth injury. Statistics reveal that approximately 28,000 infants are born with birth defects every year.

In 2006, close to 157,700 injuries to newborns and mothers were preventable. By identifying and planning properly for obstetrical risk factors, nearly 50% of all birth injuries are potentially avoidable.

Some birth injuries cannot be prevented as they are caused by some type of birth defect. However, there are others that are caused by the failure on a doctor's part to properly diagnose, evaluate or treat a medical condition; prescription drug errors during pregnancy; improper use of a medical device such as a vacuum or forceps during labor and delivery. If these errors could have been prevented, you may have grounds to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Cerebral Palsy - Cerebral palsy affects muscle movement, but is caused by abnormal development of the brain or brain injury during pregnancy, childbirth, or in some cases, even after birth. Most children show signs of cerebral palsy by the time they are 3 years old. This condition can be caused by trauma to the fetal head, exposure to chemicals or infections during pregnancy, difficult labor, or insufficient oxygen during labor.

Muscle, Nerve, and Bone Injuries - Childbirth can be traumatic, depending on prematurity, the baby's size, the gestational age at birth, the mother's pelvis shape and size, and duration of the delivery. Complications and medical mistakes can result in permanent or temporary physical disability and disfigurement related to facial paralysis, Brachial Plexus, and Erb's Palsy injuries from nerve damage in the clavicle, upper spine, upper arm, neck and hand, as well as spinal cord injuries that can cause motor weakness and paralysis.

Other Brain Injuries and Mental Impairment

Many signs of a birth injury can be immediately seen while others - particularly those caused by brain injuries - may not show until later when you see children missing certain developmental milestones. Other brain injuries can manifest as seizures, speech problems, and decreased motor skills.

Death of Infant or Mother

In the most tragic cases, medical negligence and errors can cause the mother or newborn to die. According to the Centers for Disease Control's latest statistics, the infant mortality rate in the United States is 6.1 infant deaths per 1,000 live births. It also reveals that pregnancy or delivery complications cause death in roughly 650 women each year in this country.

Such tragedies can have a devastating impact and wrongful death lawsuits can help family members obtain compensation for economic damages such as medical costs, loss of income and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, loss of consortium, emotional distress, etc.

A Law Firm that Sparkles

If you or a loved one has been a victim of birth injury, you should immediately seek the help of the qualified and experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falloff, & Wolff of RMFW Law at 212-344-1000.

The first meeting is free. The first meeting costs you nothing. Is your case viable? What do you have to say? What really happened? Do the medical reports support what you are saying? Medical malpractice cases are expensive to try, we will cover the cost of this type of lawsuit if your case has merit. We charge you nothing but a percentage of the final verdict or settlement so in effect, you never pay us anything.

RMFW Law knows how to start and finish lawsuits. We look forward to hearing from you.