Common Birth Injuries

Are you or your baby suffering from a birth injury? Do you suspect that the injury was caused by your nurse's or physician's negligence before, during or after labor? At Smith, Farhart & Hornstein, our attorneys have more than 40 years combined experience handling personal injury and medical malpractice cases. We have dedicated nurses on staff that work with our birth injury lawyers to build your case and help you get through this difficult time.

There are many possible birth injuries to infants and mothers, ranging from bruises from forceps use to wrongful death. This page explains the common injuries to infants and mothers. For further information about your birth injury and to discuss your legal options, contact Smith, Farhart & Hornstein.

Injuries to Infants

An injury to an infant is always frightening, no matter how small. Injuries such as forceps bruises and subconjunctival hemorrhage (when blood vessels in the infant's eye burst) are usually temporary and may not have a lasting impact on the child. Other birth injuries, such as cerebral palsy, can affect your child for his or her entire life.

• Anoxic encephalopathy and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: There are many birth complications that can lead to oxygen deprivation in infants. When the baby is deprived of partial oxygen for a period of time, he or she suffers from hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Anoxic encephalopathy is a complete lack of oxygen. If doctors do not properly monitor an infant over time, he or she may lose oxygen and suffer serious cognitive and physical effects, including brain damage, epilepsy and cerebral palsy.
• Cerebral palsy: Cerebral palsy is brain damage caused by an inadequate supply of oxygen to the brain. There are four types of cerebral palsy:
• Spastic cerebral palsy: Nearly half of all children who suffer from cerebral palsy suffer from spastic cerebral palsy. It affects the child's limbs and may cause stiff muscles/stiff movement and paralysis.
• Athetoid cerebral palsy: In children with athetoid cerebral palsy, their muscles vary between tightness and weakness. The children may have trouble speaking and moving their facial muscles.
• Ataxic cerebral palsy: Children with ataxic cerebral palsy have weak muscles, which affects their balance and depth perception. They may have trouble walking and developing motor skills.
• Mixed cerebral palsy: Mixed cerebral palsy includes a combination of any of the above types of cerebral palsy.
• Erb's palsy: When a delivering doctor stretches an infant's brachial plexus nerves during birth, it can lead to an injury to those nerves called Erb's palsy. Infants with this injury have trouble moving their arms. When the stretch injury leads to torn or ruptured brachial plexus nerves, medical professionals must address the injury.
• Shoulder dystocia: Shoulder dystocia is an injury to the brachial plexus nerves (nerves that control shoulder and arm movement) that occurs when an infant's shoulder gets lodged behind the mother's pelvic bone. Shoulder dystocia that is not corrected through proper maneuvers can lead to cerebral palsy and other serious complications.

If your child has experienced any of the above injuries or you are concerned about a fracture (such as a fracture of the clavicle or collarbone), facial paralysis or other condition that resulted from childbirth, contact us. Timing is important. You may not notice your child's cerebral palsy until he or she is older. There is a two-year statute of limitations on personal injury cases. Thus, you should contact an attorney as soon as you suspect something is wrong.

Injuries to Mothers:

Our Arizona lawyers also bring medical malpractice claims on behalf of mothers who were injured while in labor. The following are some of the common injuries caused by medical malpractice:

• Episiotomy: Doctors may decide to make a cut through the perineum for easier childbirth. However, if the cut is incorrectly done, the mother may face life-threatening infections, serious bleeding and other problems.
• Preeclampsia: Preeclampsia is a serious form of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) that develops in some women late in their second or third trimesters. It is characterized by high levels of blood pressure and protein in the urine and includes swollen hands and face and sudden weight gain. Often, the only solution is to deliver the baby.
• Infections: Infections can be caused by doctors failing to wash hands, lack of cleanliness in the hospital, surgical errors and more. Infections may lead to meningitis and other serious illnesses.
• Surgical injuries : A doctor may make an error during a cesarean section or another surgical procedure.
• Anesthesia errors: If anesthesia is not properly administered during labor, a mother can suffer from oxygen deprivation and other serious injuries.

Other possible injuries to mothers during labor include a ruptured uterus, spinal cord damage from epidurals and broken bones.

Wrongful Death

Was your child stillborn? Did the child or mother pass away during childbirth? At Smith, Farhart & Hornstein, we are devoted to helping individuals and families cope with injury and loss. We may be able to help you recover financial compensation for your loss so that you can stay afloat financially during this difficult time.

Contact Smith, Farhart & Hornstein

For more information about a birth injury or wrongful death, contact our medical malpractice attorneys in Peoria, Arizona. We help clients bring personal injury and medical malpractice lawsuits for birthing negligence.