Burbank Pasadena Glendale Birth Injury Attorneys

A birth injury is a physical injury or trauma which is sustained by the newborn during the birthing process.  These physical injuries are also referred to as either birth trauma or birth injury.  Birth injuries may result because of the newborn’s physical size or the position of the newborn during either labor or delivery.  Generally, birth injuries result from extreme pressure experienced by the newborn baby as it passes through the mother’s birth canal.

Some reasons why labor may be more difficult and may result in birth injuries include:

• Large Newborn Babies over 8 pounds, 13 ounces;
• Premature Newborn Babies  less than 37 weeks old;
• Doctor Procedures (i.e., the use of forceps);
• Cephalopelvic Disproportion;
  • The mother’s pelvis is neither the right shape nor size to give birth vaginally
• Difficult labor or childbirth (Dystocia);
• Prolonged labor; and
• Abnormal Newborn Birthing Presentation (e.g., breech [buttocks first] delivery).

If a newborn baby does suffer from a birth injury, the most common types of birth injuries include:

Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a birth injury resulting from brain trauma during or near the time of birth.  Cerebral palsy symptoms may include loss of movement or other nerve functions. Cerebral palsy, unlike the other birth injuries is not progressive where it neither worsens nor improves with time.  The severity of cerebral palsy is determined by the type of brain damage.  Medical mistakes such as improper use of forceps or depriving the newborn baby of oxygen may result in cerebral palsy.

Caput succedaneum
Caput succedaneum defines a newborn baby’s scalp which has severely swelled and bruised which occurred as the baby travels through the mother’s birth canal. The newborn’s swelling should disappear within a few days without any additional physical or emotional issues.  This newborn baby injury is common amongst those babies delivered by vacuum extraction.

Cephalohematoma
Cephalohematoma defines an area of bleeding between the skull and its fibrous covering which appears as a raised lump on the newborn’s head.  This blood will eventually be reabsorbed by the newborn’s body and depending on its size may take upwards of three-months to disappear.  In extreme cases, newborns may develop jaundice as large amounts of blood are reabsorbed.

Bruising / Forceps Marks
Newborn babies may have bruising on their face or head from the pressure and trauma of passing through their mother’s birth canal as well as contact with their mother’s pelvic bone.  Additionally, if the doctor uses forceps to grasp the newborn, temporary marks and bruising may be noticeable on the newborns face and head.  For those newborns which are delivered by vacuum extraction, in addition to scalp bruising, they may also have lacerations (cut) on their scalp.

Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
Subconjunctival hemorrhage defines the bursting of blood vessels in the newborn baby’s eyes. This very common birth injury, which does not cause any permanent damage to the eyes, is most readily identified where a red circle of blood is around the iris.

Facial Paralysis
Facial Paralysis is defined as a newborn baby’s inability to move portions of their face which was caused during the newborns birth where the newborn baby’s face suffered severe pressure resulting in facial nerve damage. This facial paralysis will steadily improve in a few weeks if the facial nerves were only bruised, but if the facial nerves were torn, reconstructive surgery may be necessary.

Brachial Palsy
Brachial palsy, also referred to as Erb’s Palsy, is defined as the injuring of the brachial plexus which is a group of nerves used to control the arms and hands.  Brachial Palsy is a common birth defect when the newborn baby’s shoulders are too large for the mother’s birth canal.  If a newborn baby suffers from Brachial Palsy, the newborn baby will be unable to flex and rotate their arms. If the brachial plexus nerves were only bruised, the newborn baby should be able to move their arms within a few months.  If the brachial plexus nerve was torn, special exercises must be followed to maintain the newborn baby’s range of motion as the newborn baby’s body attempts to heal.

Fractures
Newborn babies most often suffer fractured clavicles or collarbones.  The newborn baby’s clavicle may fracture if the newborn baby has a difficult delivery because of its shoulders or because of a breech delivery.  For newborn babies, clavicle fractures heal very quickly.

If your newborn baby suffered brain injury or brain trauma as a result of a doctor’s or physician’s negligence, please contact one of our Burbank Birth Injury Lawyers for a free confidential initial consultation to discuss what compensation you may receive for your newborn baby’s injuries so you may pay for any and all medical expenses as well as any future medical procedures.  Please call us today, as there is a statute of limitations limiting the time period you may have to bring your birth injury claim on behalf of your injured newborn.  If you fail to file your birth injury claim in time, you will be prevented from recovering any compensation for your newborn baby’s birth injuries, so contact us immediately!