There is perhaps no greater joy in this world than welcoming a new baby into your life.  Unfortunately, along with the hundreds of thousands of births each year come too many cases of medical negligence which result in irreparable birth injuries and even death.  Some common types of birth injuries that are often attributed to the negligence of doctors, nurses and hospital staff include:

Cerebral palsy

This is a functional disorder that often results from damage to the child’s brain during pregnancy, delivery and birth.  It is most often related to a lack of oxygen when the child is being delivered.  Cerebral palsy results from damage to or faulty development of the motor areas of the baby’s brain.  It interferes with the brain’s ability to control the movements or posture of the body.  There are differing levels of severity of the condition, and some children who suffer from cerebral palsy are able to live relatively normal lives.  Unfortunately, however, others are not so lucky and suffer needlessly for the remainder of their lives.

Erb’s palsy

This is a birth injury, also known as Brachial Plexus palsy, which is caused by trauma to the child before or during birth.  Victims of Erb’s palsy frequently suffer from a loss of control or sensation in their shoulders, neck, arms and hands.  It is often attributed to medical negligence during childbirth, when the baby’s shoulder gets wedged under the mother’s pubic bone.  The doctor delivering the baby sometimes panics and applies too much force on the baby to dislodge the shoulder, often causing damage to the nerve bundles in the shoulder area.  The result is Erb’s Palsy.

Additionally, medical negligence can cause birth injuries such as para and quadriplegia, brain damage, learning disabilities and blindness.

All of these traumatic injuries can be prevented by using fetal monitoring and extra care during the labor and delivery process.  In many cases, an emergency cesarean section can be performed to deliver the baby quickly and prevent possible loss of oxygen or further nerve damage.  When these things are not done, it is often because of a clear cut case of medical negligence.

If your child was a victim of a birth injury at the hands of a negligent doctor or medical professional, you have the right to seek justice.  Speak with an experienced medical negligence attorney right away.