If you think you’ve been a victim of medical negligence or malpractice causing birth injury, then it is highly recommended that you seek legal advice to determine whether you can make a claim. Birth injury can have devastating long-term effects not only on your child, but on your family as a whole. We have seen first-hand the the psychological and physical challenges that this presents and we are here to assist you with the legal intervention your need to receive the compensation you deserve.

Medical negligence involving injuries sustained before, during, or after birth, are commonly dealt with by expert legal practitioners. These can range from minor complaints to much larger issues that can incur longer-term health problems.

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These cases can are often caused by:

Delays in treatment.

Misdiagnosis or negligence.

Issues that occur during procedures.

Anything that strays from the competent and adequate level of health care that you or your child require is a form of medical negligence. If the health care that you require deviates from what is needed and causes injury or suffering to the patient, this can lead to a compensation claim or medical malpractice suit.

To find out whether you have a medical negligence claim, how to go about making a claim, what you can expect along the way, along with many other questions you might have regarding an issue, contact us for more information.

Continue reading to find out what some of the most common birth injuries are and how they can be caused by medical negligence or malpractice. We cannot overestimate the importance of understanding these issues for the health and welfare of you and your family. If you believe you have grounds for a claim, or need support with an issue or claim, please get in touch and a legal representative will discuss any concerns that you might have.

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What are the common birth injuries?

Birth injuries can occur to a child before, during, or directly after the birth. Common neonatal birth injuries mostly occur due to the pressure exercised during the birthing procedure. In rare occasions, instances of birth injury medical malpractice can also lead to problems with the baby.

There are a wide variety of birth injury types, which can have either long or short-term effects on the child. These can vary from injuries to a baby’s nervous system, bone structure, and blood system, with varying impacts on the child’s development.

There are certain risk factors that can lead to injuries which need to be considered. So, what causes birth injuries?

extended/difficult labour

medication use

infections

pelvis size

medical quality/negligence

The most common types of birth injury are related to either oxygen deprivation, physical compression or distress, blood pressure problems, and/or skin discolouration.

The most common types of birth injuries are listed as follows:

Cerebral Palsy: A disorder caused by an injury to the part of the brain that controls posture and muscle movement, that occurs before or during the birth.

Kernicterus: A type of brain damage caused by severe jaundice. Hypoxic ischemic brain injury: A dysfunction caused by a lack of blood flow and oxygen to the brain during the birth, sometimes referred to as Erb’s Palsy.

Brachial plexus injury at birth: An injury which occurs when the network of nerves from the spinal cord become injured through stretching or distress.

Newborn Jaundice: This occurs when there is build-up of the pigment bilirubin, which can yellow the baby’s skin or eyes.

Newborn cephalohematoma: Occurs when a build-up of ruptured blood vessels create pressure on the brain, which can lead to disability.

Vacuum extraction injury: A byproduct of medical negligence which can result in a multitude of injuries.

What are the types of birth injuries?

There are a multitude of injuries that can occur before, during or after birth. These can impact the health of both you and your baby and should be diagnosed immediately in order for you to seek treatment. And, when necessary, make a legal claim.

These birth injuries generally occur during birth, which is why it’s important for you to be alert and pay close attention to any symptoms your child might show during this period. Injuries sustained during birth can have a long-term impact on the quality of life of your child. It is vital to consult a medical professional immediately should you suspect anything might be wrong. Knowing what types of birth injuries exist, what the primary risk factors are, and what symptoms you should look out for, is integral for the welfare of you and your family.

The types of birth injuries that you should be looking out for to improve the speed of diagnosis include:

Head and brain injuries.

Problems caused by oxygen deprivation or asphyxia.

The breach resulted in the whiplash injury.

Moulding of the baby’s skull.

Spinal cord injuries and/or nerve damage.

Injuries to skin or soft tissue (swelling, bruising. other skin discolorations)

Bone damage, breaks or fractures.

Haemorrhaging, bleeding, or clotting.

Facial paralysis.

For you to be aware of these injuries, it’s essential to watch out for any immediate complications or symptoms of a birth injury. These include:

Bruising, discoloration of the skin.

Breathing issues that occur directly after birth.

Seizures.

Loose, or overly stiff muscles.

Arched back.

Suckling problems.

Reflex problems.

Light sensitivity.

Excessive, high-pitched crying.

Excessive drooling.

Vomiting.

Need Advice? Speak With An Expert.

If you are a victim of medical negligence, obtaining the advice of a professional and experienced solicitor is in your best interests.

What to do if your child has a birth injury?

The most important thing to do if you or your child are experiencing any postnatal issues or injuries is to consult a medical professional to obtain a diagnosis. Getting a diagnosis is one of the most important things you can do as it is the first step to moving forward with your birth injury compensation claim.

Once you have a diagnosis, are aware of the injuries, their impact upon your livelihoods, and the conditions in which they were sustained, your next step should be to contact our legal team to pursue a birth injury claim. Our solicitors will handle your case with the care and diligence that comes with years of experience in handling such claims. These injuries can be life changing and we will help you to get the justice you deserve. Receiving compensation for this traumatic experience won’t turn back time. But it will help you to deal with any burden these injuries may have upon your livelihood longterm.

Once you contact our legal team, you will then be connected with one of our birth injury compensation claims solicitors. During our conversation you will find out about what birth injury claims will be available to you and what type of birth injury compensation you could be entitled to.

Our legal experts will advise you on the following:

  • What legal claims you can pursue.
  • Whether you are entitled for birth injury to mother compensation, if you or your partner suffered injury during birth.
  • Whether or not you can make a claim for birth injury medical malpractic.
  • What duty of care is.
  • Learn more about us and our background in birth injury claims and law.
  • Find out about our proven track record.

Contact us now
in confidence.

O’Brien & Company Solicitors has a wealth of experience and a history of success in personal injury and medical negligence cases.

We pride ourselves on achieving the best results for our clients whilst at the same time making everything as straightforward and clear for you as possible.