N.C. Personal Injury Attorney
Birth Injuries
Thousands of babies are born each year in hospitals and birthing centers in Asheville and Western North Carolina. The birth of a baby should be a cause for celebration for the parents and family. But sometimes a baby may suffer a serious injury during the delivery process. Some birth injuries are unavoidable. But many birth injuries are preventable if the doctor and delivery team monitor the health of the mother and baby carefully and have contingency plans for handling a difficult delivery.
If you believe that your baby suffered a preventable birth injury caused by medical negligence, contact a compassionate birth injury attorney at the Elmore Law Firm. Our experienced medical malpractice attorney has established relationships with medical experts who can review your medical records and evaluate whether your child suffered a preventable birth injury.
Contact us at 1-828-253-1492 or 1-888-775-7876 or online at info@theelmorelawfirm.com for a free initial consultation.
Birth Injuries in Western North Carolina
The delivery process involves compression, contractions and traction. Some birth injuries occur naturally and cannot be avoided. About one third of the infants who die within the first year had a diagnosed birth defect, many of which are due to the negligence of health care providers. Unfortunately, North Carolina’s infant mortality rate remains among the highest in the nation, according to the America’s Health Rankings 2010 report.
While some birth injuries are unavoidable, many are caused by avoidable trauma during delivery. Doctors and hospital workers may fail to respond appropriately or quickly enough to fetal distress or other conditions that can harm the baby. During a difficult delivery, such as a large baby born to a small mother, the use of obstetrical tools and mechanical devices such as forceps or vacuum devices may result in a birth injury caused by excessive traction or excessive force.
Birth injuries vary from temporary conditions that can be corrected with a short hospital stay to permanent medical conditions. A 2010 study published in the American Journal of Gynecology estimated that birth injuries resulting from trauma occur in about 25.85 births per 1,000 deliveries. Larger infants are more difficult to deliver and are more susceptible to birth injuries.
Among the most common birth injuries are:
- Erb’s Palsy — A paralysis of the arm and shoulder caused by damage to the brachial plexus nerves during birth.
- Klumpke’s Palsy — A paralysis of the hand caused by excessive force to a baby’s head or neck during delivery.
- Cerebral Palsy — Congenital conditions can cause cerebral palsy, a type of brain damage that affects muscle movement and control. Complications during or after birth also can cause cerebral palsy.
- Shoulder dystocia — A condition in which the baby’s shoulders are wider than the birth canal, causing the shoulders to get stuck behind the mother’s pelvic bones. The complications can cause damage to the baby’s head or shoulders or broken bones such as clavicle fractures.
Most injuries occur during vaginal births in which mechanical devices are used. A doctor should anticipate the complications of a difficult delivery and be ready to perform a Caesarian section when medically necessary to avoid serious injuries to the fetus. Babies delivered by C-section are at decreased risk of certain birth injuries such as clavicle fractures, brachial plexus injury and scalp injuries.
A birth injury exacts a toll on a family and may require ongoing therapy or medical treatment and expenses. You do not have to carry that burden alone. A family may have a legal right to claim compensation when medical negligence leads to a preventable birth injury. Frankly, a parent cannot be certain whether a birth injury was preventable without expert guidance.
A compassionate birth injury attorney at the Elmore Law Firm will work with medical experts to determine whether your baby’s birth injury was preventable and caused by negligence. We understand that you need to know whether your baby’s birth injury could have been avoided. There is some peace of mind in knowing.
Contact An Asheville Birth Injury Lawyer
If you believe that your baby suffered a preventable birth injury caused by medical negligence, contact a knowledgeable birth injury attorney at the Elmore Law Firm. Our experienced medical malpractice attorneys have established relationships with medical experts who can review your medical records and evaluate whether your child suffered a preventable birth injury. We have been helping families in Asheville and Western North Carolina deal with the consequences of birth injuries and medical malpractice for more than three decades.
Contact us at 1-828-253-1492 or 1-888-775-7876 or online at info@theelmorelawfirm.com for a free initial consultation.
