Did a Birth Injury Cause My Child’s Disability?

There are multiple scenarios before, during or shortly after delivery that could cause a birth injury. Many cases involve doctors who fail to respond to adverse conditions or injuries during prenatal care. Birth injuries can cause multiple types of disabilities that may affect newborns and their family members for life. The different types of birth injuries include but are not limited to:

• Cerebral palsy: Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect balance and posture. The condition can be caused when a developing brain suffers an injury. There are multiple ways cerebral palsy can occur before, during or very shortly after birth. For instance, a newborn can develop the condition if certain complications during birth are not resolved in a timely manner. Infections and blunt force trauma can also lead to the development of the condition. Children with cerebral palsy have difficulty controlling movements and may also suffer from an intellectual disability.
• Brachial plexus injuries: Injuries to the brachial plexus may cause Klumpke’s palsy or Erb’s palsy. The brachial plexus is a nerve bundle that runs along the fingers, arms and spinal cord. With Erb’s palsy, the damage is confined to the upper part of the brachial plexus. Klumpke’s palsy involves damage occuring on the lower part. Excessive stretching or force during the labor process may lead to a brachial plexus injury. The nerve damage caused by these injuries can affect movement of the arms, fingers and hands.
• Spinal cord injuries: Newborns can suffer spinal cord injuries. This may occur when the OB/GYN improperly uses forceps during delivery. Additional medical mistakes made during stressful deliveries could also cause spinal cord injuries.

Can I File a Birth Injury Lawsuit?

There are cases where birth injuries are caused by medical malpractice. In such cases, parents may be able to file a lawsuit against the doctor, hospital or other parties who may be responsible for the injury. We discussed what constitutes medical malpractice in Connecticut on last month’s blog. Please see the footnote at the bottom of the post.

The Connecticut birth injury lawyers at Walsh Woodard LLC have experience with medical malpractice cases involving birth injuries. We could help you determine whether medical malpractice may have occurred.