New Castle Birth Injury Attorneys

Some of the most common types of birth injuries include:

• Brain Injuries: Infant brain injuries can occur during pregnancy or immediately before, during, or after childbirth. Common causes of infant brain injury include oxygen deprivation, often as a result of prolonged labor or abnormal/breech presentation, as well as physical damage to the head or skull.
• Broken Bones: Sometimes, delivery doctors, midwives, and other medical providers apply too much pressure or excessive force when attempting to remove an infant during a vaginal birth, leading to broken bones/fractures. Some of the most common birth injury fractures include broken collarbones, arms, legs, and skulls.
• Brachial Plexus Injuries: Brachial plexus injuries affect the brachial plexus nerves, which are responsible for shoulder, arm, and hand movement and sensation. During delivery, medical professionals may excessively twist or pull the infant’s head or neck, leading to torn or stretched nerves.
• Cerebral Palsy: Cerebral palsy is a motor disability comprised of a group of disorders that affect posture, balance, and coordination. It is the most common motor disability in children and is caused by abnormal brain development and/or damage to a child’s developing brain, including oxygen deprivation before, during, or after birth.
• Erb’s Palsy: Erb’s palsy is a condition caused by a brachial plexus injury in which a person experiences weakness and loss of movement (paralysis) in the affected shoulder, arm, and/or hand. Erb’s palsy can occur as a result of nerve avulsion or rupture, as well as neuroma (scar tissue) and neurapraxia (nerve stretching without tearing).
• Facial Paralysis: Facial paralysis is commonly associated with births in which assistive devices, such as forceps, are required. When medical providers misuse forceps or otherwise cause damage to an infant’s facial nerves, the infant may experience temporary paralysis of one side of the face, often visible as “drooping” or loss of movement in the affected side.
• Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) refers to brain damage that occurs when oxygen supply to the brain is reduced or cut off for an extended period of time. HIE has numerous possible effects, ranging from mild to severe and including cognitive impairment, developmental problems, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy.
• Oxygen Deprivation: Oxygen deprivation is one of the most common types of birth injuries. There are two main types of oxygen deprivation: anoxia, which refers to a complete lack of oxygen to the body’s organs and tissues, and hypoxia, which refers to limited or partially cut-off oxygen flow despite sufficient blood flow.

At Luxenberg Garbett Kelly George, we represent children who have suffered all types of birth injuries, as well as mothers who have been injured due to the negligence of medical providers and the surviving loved ones of those wrongfully killed. If you, your child, or your loved one was harmed by a preventable medical error, reach out to our team right away to learn how we can help.