Illinois Birth Injury Attorneys
The labor, pregnancy and delivery process can be extremely difficult. Sometimes, these complications result in birth injuries that can have lasting consequences for the child as well as the family.
A central Illinois birth injury lawyer can assist you in assessing your case and review all options and understand your rights. Save all medical records related to your pregnancy and birth in case they be useful in a future lawsuit.
Brachial Plexus Injuries
The brachialplexus nerve system that runs from the neck to the arms. These nerves allow the arm, shoulder, and hand movement and sensation. Erb's palsy occurs when these nerves are damaged in the birth of a child. This condition can lead to permanent loss of function in the affected arm and hand. Fortunately, modern medical procedures can restore partial sensation and movement in many instances. These treatments are expensive. Our brachial plexus injury attorneys can help families get the financial compensation they require to pay for medical treatment and other expenses associated with the birth injuries.
Medical negligence could cause these injuries, and doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals are held to a responsibility to follow established standards of care during labor and birth. Medical malpractice includes failure to recognize a risk of complications, using excessive force during labor and delivery, or failing to respond promptly when problems arise. Hospitals and birthing facilities must ensure that their staff adhere to proper protocols and procedures.
Erb's Palsy can be caused by a variety of events however, the most frequent reason is a traumatic injury to the brachial plexus during birth. The injury is usually caused by a doctor or midwife using too much force when delivering the baby. It can also happen when the baby is in the breech position or if a doctor fails to perform an Cesarean when there are indications that a complicated delivery.
The signs of a brachial pain include weakness or paralysis in the affected hand and arm and shoulder, difficulty in moving the shoulder and hand, as well as a weak grip on the fingers and hand. The nerves can also heal over time, but it takes years. Some people might never regain full function of their arms and hands, even after surgery.
The brachial plexus is diagnosed by physical examinations, MRIs and other tests such as nerve conduction studies and electrical stimulation. birth injury attorney kansas city will also assess the strength as well as the range of motion and sensation in your arm or hand to the same on your non-affected side.
Brain Injury
Many of the most traumatic birth injuries are brain-related. If your child suffers from an injury to the brain, you may be eligible for financial compensation. These damages can help pay for future medical treatments as well as therapy and other treatments that your child may require to treat his or her illness. For assistance, contact an Illinois birth injury lawyer.
Brain damage during labor and delivery is often the result of asphyxia, which occurs when an infant does not get enough oxygen. It can happen in a variety of ways, such as complications with the umbilical cord and placenta problems or prolonged labor.
Forceps as well as other tools are often employed by doctors to assist with more complicated deliveries. However when they are not used correctly or negligently, they can cause serious injuries to the head. These injuries can result in facial fractures, swelling or bruises on the scalp and also brain damage.
You could be able to make a claim for medical negligence if your child suffered brain damage as a result of an error made by a doctor during the delivery or labor. You will need to work with a seasoned birth injury lawyer to understand the laws in your state and to ensure that your claim is in compliance with all requirements, such as the statute of limitations.
Generally speaking, you'll need to file a medical negligence lawsuit within two years of the date of the negligent act or in certain cases the two-year period from the time you were able to recognize the injury. It is important to speak with a birth injury lawyer in your area as soon as you can in order to begin.
Medical negligence that leads to birth injuries can have life-altering consequences for families. A successful legal case can result in an enormous settlement that covers your family's ongoing medical costs and replaces the any income your child might not be capable of earning and also compensates for your child's suffering, pain and emotional turmoil. Our firm has the expertise and compassion to defend your child's right to a fair settlement. Contact us today for a no-cost consultation. We don't charge a fee until we have won your case or settle it.
Shoulder Dystocia
Shoulder dystocia is a type of birth injury that takes place when the baby's shoulders become stuck inside the mother's pelvis during delivery. This condition is a common one, and many doctors are trained to recognize it and intervene to prevent serious complications for both mother and child. However, if a doctor is not careful when treating shoulder dystocia both of them could suffer severe injuries and permanent disabilities.
This is usually caused by an unborn fetus that is too large to enter the birth canal. This is a sign the maternity team might need to perform the procedure of a C section to safely deliver the baby. In some instances however, the obstetrician does not realize that the fetus was too large to be delivered vaginally and instead uses excessive force during labor and delivery or long pressure to lift the baby out of the birth canal.
If a baby's shoulder is trapped behind the mother's pubic bone during labor, it may result in a myriad of complications including fractures to the collarbone (clavicle) or upper arm bone (humerus). It can also result in an umbilical cord that has been compressed which cuts off oxygen and blood flow. Finally, it can cause uterine rupture or hemorrhage.
Medical personnel will be able recognize shoulder dystocia by not noticing any progress after the head delivery or if the fetus pulls back into the pelvis of the mother in a movement called the 'turtle neck sign. The doctor should then call for assistance and have additional team members - typically a senior obstetrician or a senior midwife, as well as a paediatrician - come into the delivery room to help with the delivery.
If a doctor failed to respond quickly enough to this circumstance or if they used force that was unnecessary during the birth, it can be considered medical malpractice. A Chicago birth injury lawyer can examine your child's medical records and consult experts to determine whether negligence contributed to the shoulder dystocia. This can then be used to support an legal claim for compensation. Fortunately, the majority of babies who suffer from shoulder dystocia recover completely by age three.
Spina Bifida
Spina bifida happens when the vertebrae of the spine don't close completely, leaving a part of the spinal cord (and meninges, which are the membranes that protect the brain and spinal nerve system) in a sac-like membrane that protrudes from the body. The most common form of spina Bifida, myelomeningocele, occurs in about one-half to one out of every 1,000 births in the United States. Spina bifida isn't known to cause, but it could be caused by folic acid deficiencies in the mother or genetics or the environment.
Sometimes, spina Bifida isn't discovered until after the baby is born. A doctor might detect it by looking at the baby's back or observing it in an image scan such as an ultrasound, X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
If your child was born with spina bifida, treatment might include surgery to close the hole in the spine physical therapy to improve muscle strength and range of motion, a wheelchair and braces for specific needs. Children and babies with this condition might also require diapers or undergo bladder or surgery for bowels to manage issues with their bowels such as incontinence, or difficulty emptying the bladder.
You should contact an Chicago birth injury lawyer as soon as you can following the injury of your child. The statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims is two years from the date of injury. Evidence could also vanish as time passes. Witnesses may move away or their memories of the incident might fade, and the longer you put off consulting with an attorney the more difficult it becomes to establish your case.
It can be emotionally and economically draining for a family when a child is born needing ongoing care for the rest of their lives. If the negligence of a healthcare professional caused your child's birth injury, you may be entitled to compensation for your child. Contact an Chicago birth injury lawyer to discuss your case and determine if you are eligible for a financial compensation claim.