Youngstown Birth Injury Lawyers

The birth of your child should be an exciting and wonderful time. Parents trust doctors and medical staff to ensure that the infant is delivered into the world as healthy as possible; unfortunately, oversights do happen and can result in birth injuries. Any form of harm that happens to your newborn during the delivery process is classified as a birth injury. Some birth injuries are temporary; however, if not immediately handled correctly, others can be permanent and lead to serious mental or physical handicaps.

Birth injuries can be complicated because some injuries may not be noticed for weeks or even months after they occurred. If you suspect your child has suffered a birth injury or you, have been the victim of medical malpractice or negligence, Youngstown injury lawyers at Kisling, Nestico & Redick have experience in assisting Ohio’s families to navigate the legal process and seek compensation.

Call us today at 1-800-HURT-NOW (330) 729-1090.

Common Birth Injuries

A Medscape study found an average of 6 to 8 infants per 1,000 live births sustain injuries during delivery in the US. Both children and parents suffer when birth injuries occur and the fallout can extend to other family members and friends as well.

The most common preventable injuries are:

• Brain injury – which included cerebral palsy
• Subdural hematoma – bleeding inside the brain area that compresses brain tissue
• Brachial Palsy/Erb’s Palsy – temporary or permanent nerve damage resulting in weakness or paralysis of the arm
• Paralysis
• Fractures – including skull or clavicle ones
• Shoulder dystocia
• Spinal cord damage
• Soft tissue or organ injuries
• Stillbirth

Causes of Birth Injuries

Delayed Birth – One of the main causes of birth injury. When labors last over 18 hours they are considered difficult and the compression on the brain can become too much for the baby. Signs of fetal distress may start to appear and the baby’s blood pressure may start to rise.

Oxygen Deprivation – Can happen due to the baby having underdeveloped lungs or low birth weight and can also occur from a bent or prolapsed umbilical cord. Most brain-related injuries are due to oxygen deprivation and can be mild or severe and last for only a few days or, in some cases, the baby’s entire life.

Medical Malpractice – This can result in delayed birth, blunt force trauma, or oxygen deprivation. These mistakes can occur for a variety of reasons including inattention, exhaustion, forgetfulness, or inexperience. Examples of medical malpractice are:

• Twisting or pulling the infant in an incorrect way
• Using birth-assisting tools, forceps or vacuum extraction improperly
• Failure to check for a heartbeat, or breathing
• Failure to pick up on the signs of distress
• Failure to administer medication, administering the wrong amount or wrong type of medication to the mother
• Failure to perform an emergency cesarean surgery

Common Treatments for Birth injuries

Child birth can be expensive. If you or a loved on suffers from a birth injury, the financial situation can become difficult and overwhelming right after delivering a child. Common treatments for injuries can include:

• Head Molding – The head can elongate as it is pushed through the birth canal; however, it only takes a few days for the head shape to return and this does not affect the brain or require treatment
• Swelling Scalp – Very common and not serious. This typically resolves itself in two to three days.
• Hemorrhages – Bleeding under or around the scalp that can cause significant blood loss. Depending on where this is taking place, it can resolve itself. However, in severe situations, this may require a blood transfusion and a stay in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). In some cases, bleeding on the brain can lead to various life-long conditions, including cerebral palsy.
• Fractures – Most fractures actually take a few weeks to heal themselves. In the case of an upper arm fracture, a loose splint may be placed to limit movement.
• Nerve Injuries – Occur when the group of nerves located between the neck and shoulder is damaged. Milder cases will resolve themselves in a few days. If the damage is severe it can take much longer and result in a long-term disability.

Seeking Compensation After a Birth Injury

Even in Youngstown, birth fatalities are known to happen. If you or a member of your family have fallen victim to the devastation of a birth injury through medical negligence, you may qualify to open a birth injury case and seek compensation for your loss and for the potential ongoing medical expenses. Birth injury often occurs through medical negligence and sometimes can be as simple as a physician not reviewing information thoroughly. It is vital to seek a birth trauma lawyer and to get help navigating the legal process.

Our Youngstown Birth Injury Lawyers Can Help You

With decades of experience, our skilled legal birth injury attorneys at Kisling, Nestico & Redick can help you seek compensation for birth injuries. We have 11 locations throughout Ohio, covering many regions and cities in the state. In addition to childbirth injuries, our diverse team of attorneys has skills and experience in numerous other legal areas including wrongful deaths, truck accidents, work injuries, and motorcycle accidents.

If you have any questions regarding your case, call our Youngstown injury lawyers at (330) 729-1090 to schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced Youngstown birth injury attorney.