Cleveland Birth Injury Lawyers

Families trust medical practitioners to deliver the best care to everyone involved in the pregnancy and delivery processes. When mistakes occur, accidents happen and negligence is sustained in prenatal exams or in the delivery room, the consequences of birth injuries can be devastating and permanent.

If you or a loved one has experienced injuries or trauma during childbirth, you should contact a Cleveland birth injury attorney immediately. Kisling, Nestico & Redick is an Ohio-based law firm with decades of combined experience from Cleveland injury attorneys and can help Ohio families navigate complicated legal and medical processes and win cases for childbirth trauma.

If you have any questions regarding birth injury, call our Cleveland birth injury lawyers at (216) 658-1330 or contact us via our online contact form to schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced Ohio birth injury attorney.
Cleveland Birth Injuries

What Is a Birth Injury or Birth Trauma?

If a parent or infant sustains damages during, before, or immediately after the birthing delivery process, these issues are considered birth injuries. Nerve damage, broken bones and other mechanically-caused (from traction or compression) damages are collectively referred to as “birth trauma.” While birth injuries can occur naturally, particularly between the birthing parent and child, they’re more often the result of a medical mistake or negligence in the delivery room.

A 2015 Medscape study found an average of six to eight infants per 1,000 live births sustain injuries during delivery in the US. If you are among the unfortunate percentage of childbirth trauma victims, you need a birth injury lawyer to advocate on your behalf. Both children and parents suffer when birth injuries occur, and the fallout can extend to other family members and friends as well.

Types of Birth Injuries We Handle

KNR’s Cleveland birth injury lawyers with offices throughout Ohio have handled birth trauma cases including, but not limited to, those related to:

• Shoulder dystocia
• Cerebral palsy
• Brachial palsy (Erbs palsy)
• Subdural hematomas
• Brain damage
• Seizures

Birth trauma can be serious and complex: in addition to physical pain and consequences, the resulting medical conditions also often require a high financial burden and may have long-term emotional and psychological impact as well.

Causes of Preventable Birth Injuries

Causes of preventable birth injuries are typically the result of negligence on the part of medical care. Negligence occurs if your medical practitioner fails to:

• Detect infections during pregnancy
• Identify complications, particularly with the umbilical cord
• Neglects heart rate monitors during the birthing process
• Does not perform medically advisable procedures such as a C-section
• Properly use forceps or extractors during delivery

Negligence during delivery or pregnancy can result in an infant sustaining brain damage and hemorrhages that have long-term effects.

Symptoms of Birth Injuries

Some of these birth injuries have delayed symptoms that are only identified as a child develops. Symptoms to pay attention to that may indicate birth injuries include:

• Skull fractures
• Seizures
• Low oxygen levels
• Low heart rate
• Chronic crying and fussiness
• Difficulty eating
• Sensitivity to light
• Delay in motor skill development and ability to sit/walk
• Poor coordination
• Delay in speech development

If you think your infant has sustained birth injuries, you may be the victim of medical negligence. Cleveland birth injury lawyers can evaluate your situation and help you seek vital care and compensation.

Common Birth Injuries: Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is one of the most common manifestations of brain damage due to birth injuries. The United Cerebral Palsy organization estimates about 10,000 births annually result in CP, which occurs when motor functions controlled by certain areas of the brain suffer damage.

It is a developmental disorder for which there is no known cure. A CP diagnosis may not be readily apparent until the child develops and has trouble in performing coordinated motor movements like rolling over, crawling, or walking. Depending on the level of brain damage causing CP, there are treatment options, including therapy, that can help alleviate pain and trauma associated with the disorder.

If you suspect an infant may have cerebral palsy due to a birth injury or birth trauma, contact a KNR Cleveland birth injury attorney immediately to help assess your situation and offer appropriate legal counsel and advocacy.

Teratments for Birth Injuries

Treatment for birth injuries depends on the level of brain damage experienced. Medical practitioners may administer a CT scan or an MRI to assess brain activity and the extent of the brain trauma to best determine the appropriate treatment plan for a patient who has sustained birth injuries.

There are two main types of surgical correction for severe birth injuries:

• Craniotomy: A surgery to remove a flap of bone so a surgeon can repair injuries including blood vessels and blood clots. Hardware, such as plates and screws, is typically required to suture the incisions made by this major surgery.
• Decompressive Craniectomy: This extensive surgery is advised for severe and immediately life-threatening birth injuries. In order to relieve pressure from brain swelling caused by problems that arise during the delivery process, a decompressive craniectomy, requires the partial removal of the skull.

Seeking Compensation after a Birth Injury

If your loved one has sustained a birth injury as the result of poor actions or negligence, you may be entitled to a birth injury case which could help cover the costs accrued by your loss. Medical treatment and long-term rehabilitation can result in an excessive financial and psychological burden. It’s vital to seek an Ohio birth injury attorney’s help in recouping damages and to discuss the options available to you as birth trauma of any degree may qualify you to make a birth injury compensation claim regardless of the cause.

Our Cleveland Birth Injury Lawyers Can Help You

Our experienced legal team at Kisling, Nestico & Redick can help you seek compensation for a variety of cases including birth injuries. Based throughout the state of Ohio in nearly a dozen locations, KNR ensures wide coverage and extensive knowledge about the state’s legal and medical processes. Our diverse team of Cleveland attorneys is also skilled in numerous legal areas including wrongful deaths, work injuries, and motorcycle accidents.

If you have any questions regarding birth injuries or birth trauma, call our Cleveland medical malpractice attorneys at (216) 658-1330 or contact us via our online contact form to schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced Ohio birth injury attorney.