Birth Injury

Birth injury is trauma arising from or during birth. During birth, infants can suffer numerous forms of minor injury. At times, infants suffer serious injury, such as cerebral palsy or shoulder dystocia. Many times a large fetus or small birth canal can lead to a birth injury. Most often labor and delivery negligence will cause the birth injury, such as:

• Failure to recognize fetal distress
• Failure to respond to hemorrhage
• Failure to anticipate large fetus birth complications
• Failure to recognize prolapsed umbilical cord
• Excessive use of labor drugs

At times with a difficult birth, the medical professional may utilize forceps or a vacuum extractor to provide assistance with child birth. If improperly used the medical tools can cause many forms of infant head injury, such as intracranial hemorrhage, skull fracture or subdural hematoma. Intracranial hemorrhage or subdural hematoma can elevate the intracranial pressure causing permanent brain damage, seizure or death. The New York Birth Injury Lawyer group at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC has learned all newborns enduring an intracranial hemorrhage must receive intravenous fluids and surgery may be required.

Infants may incur prenatal asphyxia from a reduction of blood flow or limited oxygen supply. Our New York Medical Malpractice Lawyer team has found drug exposure is among the causes of prenatal asphyxia, along with fetal infection, umbilical cord blood clot or sudden blood loss.

During a difficult birth, the shoulder nerves can become damaged, causing a brachial plexus injury. This injury is a weakness or paralysis of the arm or hand due to shoulder nerve damage. It can happen due to an excessive arm pull and most often, heals within six months. In more severe cases, surgery is necessary and recovery is prolonged. This injury may cause decreased stamina and strength, muscle atrophy, altered biomechanics and movements, joint dysfunction, impaired bone growth, osteoarthritis, limb length discrepancy, scoliosis and scapular winging. Our knowledgeable New York Injury Lawyer staff at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC has learned brachial plexus injury can also cause other syndromes, such as Erbs Palsy, Horner’s Syndrome or Klumpke’s Palsy.

A birth injury can also result in cerebral palsy. According to our New York Birth Injury Lawyer group, cerebral palsy develops in two of one thousand births. Symptoms may include loss of mobility or neurologic deficiency. Cerebral palsy leads to motor function impairment and physical impairment. The New York Birth Injury Lawyer staff at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC agrees muscle spasm is a common cerebral palsy symptom, along with scissor walking, involuntary movement, joint and bone deformities, impaired balance, abnormally low muscle tone and contractures. This injury may also lead to speech problems, learning disability, cognitive impairment, seizure, blindness, behavioral disorders or hearing impairment. Various medical errors, as in vacuum extraction, drug exposure, improper use of forceps, lack of oxygen, prolonged birth canal extraction or trauma, can cause cerebral palsy.

Birth injury brings about many challenges and can impact your entire family. Physical and social disabilities can significantly affect your child’s development. Birth injury malpractice claims are expensive, time-consuming and complicated. Consulting the New York Birth Injury Lawyer team at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC may be crucial to successfully pursuing compensation for your losses.

If you or someone you know is suffering from the effects of a birth injury, contact our experienced New York Brain Injury Lawyer at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC to discuss your legal options. Contact us at 800.696.9529 or online to schedule your free consultation. Or stop by one of our many convenient New York City office locations in Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, or Staten Island, or one of our Long Island office locations in Suffolk County or Nassau County. We also have an office in Westchester County for your convenience.