Birth Injuries Are More Common Than You Realize – Protect Your Infant’s Financial Future with the Help of a Birth Injury Lawyer​

0
933
Birth Injuries
image Via pixabay

Birth injuries typically refer to physical damage or trauma that a baby experiences as a result of an event during labor and childbirth. 

Sadly, birth injuries are more common than you probably realize.

How common are birth injuries?

Incredibly, nearly 30,000 babies in the United States alone are born with some type of birth injury each year. 

That equates to a baby being born with a birth injury every 20 minutes. 

Other sobering statistics include:

  • More than 80% of all reported birth injuries in the U.S. are classified as moderate to severe, which includes injuries like nerve damage, brain damage, and broken bones.
  • Birth injuries contribute to 20% of all infant fatalities in the U.S., making birth injuries the 4th leading cause of infant fatality.
  • Males experience birth injuries more than females. The fact that male babies are generally larger and therefore have trouble passing through the birth canal accounts for this statistic.

As sad as those statistics are, it is worth putting things into perspective. Out of every 1,000 babies born in the U.S., only around 6.6 will have a birth injury. 

Still, you are sure to now realize that birth injuries are much more common than you thought.

How can a birth injury lawyer help?

Birth injuries range from minor bruises to major brain damage. So, if your baby is born with an injury, it could potentially be serious. Your child could be permanently disabled and require long-term care, for instance. 

In addition to your child’s physical hardships, he or she and the whole family are sure to go through an emotional and overwhelming experience. But when the birth injury is due to medical malpractice, the situation can be even more overwhelming. 

While you may not be able to change the birth injury, you can at least contact a specialist birth injury attorney who can help you to receive the financial compensation you are entitled to. 

By filing a lawsuit against the individual or organization responsible for the medical malpractice that caused your baby’s birth injury, you can gain financial compensation that can help you to pay for medical bills and ensure your child has a financially secure future. 

That will then be one less thing to worry about, and you can focus on providing your child with all your love and attention.

Which conditions are classified as birth injuries?

There are multiple types of birth injuries. They can occur before, during, or immediately after the mother gives birth. 

Here are some of the most common conditions that can be classified as birth injuries.

Cerebral Palsy

The condition of cerebral palsy happens when the brain is deprived of oxygen or the baby’s head experiences severe trauma during labor and delivery.

Brachial Plexus Injuries

According to John Hopkins Medicine, brachial plexus injury affects between one and two births per 1,000 births. 

The injury is typically caused when the head of the baby is stretched away from the shoulder or when the baby’s shoulder is stuck under the pubis during delivery.

Brachial plexus injuries, which cause nerve damage, are more common in larger babies. Mothers who have diabetes are also more prone to brachial plexus injuries.

Nerve Injuries

Nerves can become overstretched or damaged, or even ripped, during childbirth. That can happen to both the baby and the mother. 

When just a single nerve is damaged, it can cause numbness or muscle weakness. 

Nerve damage often happens when the baby is birthed with a turned head or is in another abnormal position. 

Sometimes, nerve injuries can be resolved after a few weeks. Other times, the baby may need surgery or therapy.

Brain Damage

Brain damage can potentially cause serious problems. The most common cause of brain damage in newborns is a lack of oxygen at the time of birth.

Skull Fractures

Although skull fractures are rarer than other conditions, they can happen. Furthermore, they can lead to severe consequences. That is because a newborn baby’s skull is much more flexible and fragile.

The majority of infant skull fractures are caused by pressure from the instruments being used by the medical professionals during the childbirth process. 

Doctors, nurses, or midwives could use vacuum extractors, for example, to help deliver babies during difficult labors. But such instruments could potentially cause skull fractures.