Birth Injuries

Preventable birth injuries can be among the most emotional and devastating forms of medical malpractice, with life-long consequences on a child and his or her parents. If you believe your loved one has been injured during pregnancy or birth by the mistake of a doctor, nurse or hospital, call the Sacramento birth injury malpractice attorneys at the Arnold Law Firm today at 916-924-3100.

During a birth, even the slightest errors can have lifelong medical consequences because of the vulnerability of both patients – the mother and the newborn child. Certain births are more complicated than others and may increase the risk of birth injury. Conditions that increase the chance of birth injury include ruptured uterus, separation of the placenta before birth and umbilical cord complications. In these situations, established practices are in place to ensure patient safety. When a birth injury occurs because a health professional fails to follow established medical procedures, medical malpractice may have occurred.

In California, 58 malpractice cases in the field of obstetrics were settled in 2008. The most common injuries during birth result either from the deprivation of oxygen or from physical trauma. The injuries themselves can take many forms:

• Asphyxia;
• Bone fractures;
• Brain damage;
• Hypoxia;
• Spinal cord injuries;
• Subconjunctival hemorrhage.

Lasting medical conditions produced by birth injuries include:

• Brachial plexus palsy;
• Epilepsy;
• Cerebral paralysis;
• Facial paralysis;
• Seizures.

Birth injuries can last a lifetime, and the expenses of medical care for the injured child can overwhelm you and your family. You may be able to receive compensation for these expenses if the injury resulted from malpractice. But you will need a skilled attorney with the experience necessary to build and win a successful birth injury case. Call the Sacramento, California birth injury lawyers at the Arnold Law Firm today at 916-924-3100.