Columbia Birth Injury Attorneys

Some of the common types of birth injuries our Columbia birth negligence lawyers handle include the following:

• Cerebral palsy. This complication is usually caused by a lack of oxygen, which causes brain damage. Children with cerebral palsy have extreme difficulty with motor movement and coordination, deformities of the bone and joints, difficulty learning, and spasms. Some children with cerebral palsy may require around-the-clock care. There are many different types of cerebral palsy depending on the type of harm and the severity of the disorder.
• Hypoxia. Hypoxia means a loss of oxygen to the brain. Newborns who suffer hypoxia can suffer permanent disabilities, including brain damage, nerve damage, respiratory problems, and even death. Infant Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) is a well-known type of hypoxia that can cause epilepsy, delays in development, cognitive difficulties, and motor impairment.
• Forceps injuries/disfigurement. Doctors sometimes use forceps to help deliver a newborn. Forceps should only be used when necessary. Certain conditions must be met before a forceps delivery can be done, including knowing the exact location of the fetus, determining if the baby has an irregular heartbeat, and gaining informed consent from the parents. The child may suffer deformities, spinal cord damage, seizures, bleeding, or skull fractures.
• Vacuum extraction injury. Some birth doctors perform a vacuum extraction in difficult vaginal childbirths. The doctors use a cup and a vacuum pump to help guide the baby’s head out of the birth canal. Risks to the mother include urination problems, genital tract injuries, pain, anemia, and weakening of pelvic muscles. Risks to the child include skull fractures, scalp wounds, brachial plexus, and fractures of the collarbone.
• Erb’s palsy. Erb’s palsy occurs when the baby’s upper arm nerves are damaged. It is called Erb’s palsy because the nerves at the Erb’s point, an area near the baby’s neck, are affected. These nerves help the newborn move his/her arms, hands, and fingers. Erb’s palsy is often caused by shoulder dystocia during the child’s birth.

These are just some of the birth injuries our Columbia birth injury attorneys handle. Our lawyers work to show the treating doctors made a wrong diagnosis, chose the wrong procedure, performed the right procedure incorrectly, used the wrong equipment, or made other medical errors. We fight to get appropriate compensation for the mother and child’s physical pain and emotional suffering, and for the costs of surgeries, doctor bills, rehabilitation, and physical therapy expenses. The medical costs alone in severe cases can amount to millions of dollars.