While the majority of births in the United States occur without complication, statistics show that from 6 to 8 infants out of every 1000 born in the United States suffer some form of birth injury. While not every injury is an instance of medical negligence or malpractice, if you believe an error occurred that harmed your child, it is important to seek immediate legal help from an experienced California birth injury lawyer. Contacting a law firm that is dedicated to helping those families affected by birth injuries is essential to begin an investigation into what occurred and provide answers. Further, if your child was harmed by medical negligence, it may be possible to recover monetary compensation needed to cover the costs of medical treatment and therapy throughout the child’s life.
The most common types of birth injuries include kernicterus (a result of severe jaundice), shoulder dystocia (when the shoulder of a baby becomes stuck), brachial plexus injuries, Erb’s palsy, chemical birth defects (such as cleft lip), brain injuries, cerebral palsy, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), brain injuries, paraplegia/quadriplegia, and spinal cord injuries.
While many of these injuries have life long consequences, various treatments provided immediately at birth can reduce or limit their severity and impact. In addition to any medical mistakes that may have caused an injury, failing to take timely measures once an medical emergency occurs may also constitute medical malpractice.
For more information, or if you believe your child may have been injured by medical negligence, please contact our dedicated California medical malpractice law firm. We are here to help.