Baltimore Accident Attorneys Handle Devastating Birth Injury Cases
Maryland Personal Injury Law Firm Helps Families Receive Compensation for Their Loss
Birth injuries affect approximately 28,000 people in the U.S. annually. A birth injury is always devastating, particularly if it could have been prevented. Even if a baby is born with a non-fatal birth injury, the child might face a future of lifelong disability. Some common birth injuries include:
- Brachial plexus – The upper extremity of the arm is injured during delivery, resulting in weakness and the inability to use certain muscles in the arm, shoulder, and hand.
- Cephalohematoma – The collection of blood under a cranial bone.
- Cerebral Palsy – A condition that affects the ability of the brain to communicate with the rest of the body.
- Erb’s palsy – Injury to the brachial plexus that can result in permanent injury or paralysis of the affected child’s arm.
- Facial paralysis – Nerve damage resulting from pressure applied to the baby’s face when forceps are used during delivery.
Birth injuries can be mild and temporary, severe and permanent, and sometimes even fatal. If you have a child who suffered a birth injury, you might be entitled to compensation for the damages suffered.
Why Do Birth Injuries Happen?
Birth injuries can occur for a variety of reasons, such as:
- Failure to identify possible issues concerning the mother and/or the fetus
- A long, arduous labor
- Side effects of prescribed medication
- A physician’s failure to determine the need for a Cesarean section
- Unnoticed issues with the umbilical cord
- The use of forceps or other devices during labor
Birth injuries are sometimes evident immediately after birth, and others may not be identified until months or years later. Some common symptoms of birth injuries include:
- Pale or bluish skin
- Slow breathing or heart rate
- Sluggish or lethargic behavior
- Difficulty feeding
- Odd movements of the face, arms, or legs
- Low APGAR scores
- Failure to respond to loud noises
- Inability to grasp objects
- Organ problems
- Coma or altered consciousness
Filing a Birth Injury Lawsuit
The parents of a child who sustained a birth injury may be entitled to initiate a lawsuit on behalf of the child, and can also claim injuries on their own behalf, such as emotional distress. In Maryland, claimants have up to five years from the date of the birth to file a birth injury lawsuit, and a child who sustained a birth injury can also bring their own lawsuit once they reach the age of 18.