Chicago Birth Injury Lawyers

Types of birth injuries

Some birth injuries are less serious than others. For example, a mild bone fracture may heal in a few weeks or months. However, severe birth injuries like cerebral palsy are extremely debilitating and last a lifetime. Other injuries that cause nerve or brain damage are typically long-term or permanent.

When a legal team investigates a claim of negligence, they can often look to the specific birth injury to theorize about what may have happened during pregnancy, labor, or delivery that caused the injury to the child. An injury to the brachial plexus, for example, could be a sign that the doctor pulled too hard on a baby's arm in an attempt to free a child lodged behind a mother's pubic bone.

Common birth injuries include:

• Brachial plexus injuries. A bundle of nerves in the shoulder, the brachial plexus controls movement in the arm, wrist, hand, and fingers. When the baby is stuck inside the birth canal, the doctor may need to use force to extract the baby. Pulling or stretching on the baby's arm with excessive force can cause a brachial plexus injury. These injuries typically heal on their own over time, but more serious injuries can leave permanent nerve damage.
• Erb's palsy. Erb's palsy is a type of brachial plexus injury that specifically affects the upper arm. It may cause weakness or paralysis in the shoulder or upper arm, but the child is usually able to move their hands or fingers.
• Cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy, a muscle disorder, is a severe birth injury that affects motor function and causes varying levels of disability. It can be caused by birth trauma and, in the case of negligence, many cases occur from issues like delayed cesarean sections or failure to monitor a mother and baby's vital signs during labor and delivery, causing oxygen loss to the brain.
• Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). HIE occurs when there's a lack of oxygen to the baby's brain, which can cause brain damage or even death. This is a very serious condition and can lead to conditions like cerebral palsy or hypoxia, and can happen during all stages of pregnancy. Maternal infections, preeclampsia, or umbilical cord issues can all lead to HIE.
• Forceps and vacuum injuries. In the event of a complicated or difficult labor, a doctor may need assistance freeing the baby from the birth canal. Tools like forceps or vacuum extractors can help, but, if used incorrectly or with too much force, can cause bruising or skull fractures.
• Perinatal hypoxia. Perinatal hypoxia is a lack of oxygen that can occur before or after delivery. It can cause a baby to stop breathing soon after delivery, which can lead to oxygen deprivation in the brain, which in turn can lead to brain damage. Perinatal hypoxia can result from loss of oxygen during pregnancy or delivery, from the umbilical cord wrapping around the neck, or a failure to monitor vital signs and provide proper treatment.

Other birth injuries or conditions include: kernicterus, preeclampsia, spinal cord damage, Klumpke's palsy, shoulder dystocia, cephalohematoma, spinal bifida, or wrongful death.

Physicians and obstetricians have a responsibility to monitor patients and their babies throughout pregnancy, labor, and delivery for any potential complications or emergencies. Many, if not most, of these birth injuries are preventable with careful supervision and a high standard of care during your pregnancy. If a doctor is unprepared, negligent, or careless, your child's health is at risk.