Common Birth Injuries in Charlotte Hospitals

When you are expecting a baby, you hope that labor and delivery go smoothly, and that your child is born healthy as can be. Unfortunately, there is a chance that a doctor or another health care professional may make a mistake and cause your child harm. Below, we discuss some of the most common birth injuries seen in Charlotte hospitals.

If your infant has sustained a birth injury as a result of a medical professional’s negligence, contact our experienced Charlotte medical malpractice lawyers as soon as possible. We can investigate your case and may be able to recover fair compensation on your behalf. Call us at
(980) 237-4579 today, or reach out through the online contact form to schedule a free consultation of your case.

Types of Birth Injuries That Result From Medical Malpractice

If doctors, nurses, or other medical professionals aren’t careful during childbirth, a baby may be left with one of the following:

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy occurs when a child’s brain incurs damage before, during, or after birth. It may be caused by improper birthing techniques, inadequate monitoring of the mother during labor, and failure to monitor fetal distress. This condition causes a lack of motor skill development, muscle weakness, and muscle spasms. Although surgery may improve cerebral palsy, it typically requires a lifetime of therapy.

Perinatal Asphyxia

Perinatal asphyxia is often the result of insufficient oxygen for a baby during birth. It can occur when there is not enough blood flow to a child before or right after it is born, or when there is an oxygen deficiency in their blood. Perinatal asphyxia can cause a pale complexion, seizures, shock, and/or a coma.

Facial Paralysis

The loss of facial movement due to nerve damage is known as facial paralysis. If a baby’s face is exposed to an excessive amount of pressure during childbirth, they might develop this condition. Facial paralysis can make it impossible for the baby to make facial movements or open and close their eyes.

Erb’s Palsy

Erb’s Palsy is a condition that arises when the nerves in an infant’s upper arms have sustained trauma. Some of the most common signs of Erb’s Palsy are difficulty moving the shoulders or arms, numbness, lack of or weak reflexes, and arms bent inward towards the body. This condition may occur if a doctor pulls on a child’s arms, as the motion can stress their arms and weaken the shoulders.

Cephalohematoma

Bleeding underneath the skin on a baby’s head often causes cephalohematoma. This is usually the result of the improper usage of birth-assisting tools. It looks like a raised bump on top of the baby’s head, and typically appears several hours after birth. While the bump almost always clears up within a few months, this condition may cause anemia, jaundice, hypertension, and even meningitis.

Caput Succedaneum

Caput succedaneum occurs when there is extreme swelling of the baby’s scalp after birth. The misuse of a vacuum extraction tool is the most common cause of this condition, which typically develops as babies come down the birth canal. Although swelling usually fades within a few days, caput succedaneum can still cause a great deal of discomfort to the child.

Contact a Medical Malpractice Lawyer at Randall & Stump, Criminal Defense Attorneys

It can be heartbreaking to deliver a child who has been injured due to the negligence of a medical professional. If your infant has sustained a birth injury, contact Randall & Stump, Criminal Defense Attorneys right away so we can determine whether medical malpractice played a role in your case. To schedule a free evaluation, contact us today at (980) 237-4579.