Brain Injury Lawyers Serving All of Arizona
Types of Birth Brain Injuries
Birth brain injuries can be minor, major, or critical, and can include:
- Subdural hematoma: This is a pooling of blood between the brain and its outer covering.
- Brain hemorrhage: This is bleeding in or around the brain. These cases can be mild to life-threatening, depending on the trauma. There are also different types of brain hemorrhages, such as subarachnoid, intraventricular, and intraparenchymal.
- Skull fracture: There are four different types of skull fractures: closed, open, depressed, and basal.
- Cerebral hypoxia: This is a lack of oxygen to the brain. If the brain is completely cut off from oxygen supply, it is called cerebral anoxia.
Many babies born with brain injuries die as newborns or in childhood. Those who survive may suffer from a variety of problems, including:
- Cerebral palsy
- Cognitive disabilities
- Impaired learning
- Impaired motor skills
- Behavioral problems
The future of a baby born with brain injuries depends on early detection and proper treatment. Rehabilitation and special education can help some children born with brain injuries move on to lead a normal, independent life. Others will require lifelong, 24-hour supervision and care, either at home or in an institution.
What Are the primary Causes of Birth Brain Injury?
There are a number of different situations – and medical mistakes – that can lead to a brain injury during childbirth. In most cases, one or more of the following elements are involved:
- Lack of oxygen: Anoxia can occur in many ways, including a prolapsed umbilical cord, physical trauma to the infant, placenta complications, preeclampsia and eclampsia, over or under medication prescribed to the mother, shoulder dystocia, and letting the baby remain in the birth canal too long.
- Head trauma: This is typically a result of improper use of delivery instruments. When used improperly, vacuum extractors and forceps can cause serious head injuries and bleeding of the brain.
- Infection of the mother or baby during pregnancy: This is damage caused by the baby’s inflammatory response and a mother’s altered immune system response.
What Mistakes Can Cause Birth Brain Injuries?
Properly monitoring and responding to conditions and warning signs in both the mother and baby can prevent most brain birth injuries. However, medical errors during pregnancy, delivery, and immediately post-partum can quickly result in brain injuries.
Some of the most common mistakes include:
- Inappropriate medications or medication levels administered over the course of pregnancy or during delivery
- Failure to diagnose and treat the mother’s medical problems
- Failure to monitor the fetus and recognize and respond to fetal distress
- Failure to perform a timely C-section
- Improper use of delivery instruments
- Failure to give oxygen to newborns when needed
- Failure to diagnose and respond to infection in newborns
Most birth injuries that occur during delivery are preventable. If your child has been injured through medical error, you could be entitled to compensation, including:
- Current and future medical bills
- Rehabilitation
- Therapy
- Special education
- Special equipment
- Lost earnings due to one or both parents staying at home to care for the child
- Long-term care
- Pain and suffering
- Burial expenses
Contact Our National Medical Malpractice Attorneys for Help
In addition to the tremendous emotional and physical hardships involved, caring for a child with serious brain injuries can be financially devastating. Receiving the compensation you deserve may be the only way you will be able to provide the care your child needs. If you or a loved one have suffered because of medical mistakes made during labor, contact us immediately for a free no-obligation consultation. The medical malpractice lawyers at Burg Simpson are here to help. Call us at (866) 234-7768 or fill out our FREE case evaluation form now.
