Illinois Birth Injury Attorneys
The pregnancy, labor and delivery process can be extremely difficult. Sometimes, these issues cause birth injuries that can have long-lasting consequences for the child and family members.
A central Illinois birth injury lawyer in central Illinois can help you assess your situation and review all options and fully understand your rights. Save all medical records related to your pregnancy and birth, as they may be useful in the event of a lawsuit.
Brachial Plexus Injury
The brachialplexus is a network of nerves that connects the neck to the arms. These nerves regulate the movements and sensations of the shoulder, arm and hand. If these nerves become damaged during childbirth, it causes the condition known as Erb's Palsy. This condition can lead to permanent loss of function in the affected arm and hand. In many cases, new medical procedures can restore partial sensation and movement. However, these treatments are very expensive. Our brachial-plexus injury lawyers can assist families receive the financial compensation needed to pay for medical treatment and other expenses related to these birth injuries.
Medical negligence can lead to these injuries and doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals are held to an obligation to adhere to established standards of care during labor and delivery. Medical malpractice could include ignoring the potential for complications during labor or delivery or using excessive force. Birthing centers and hospitals must be sure that their staff adhere to proper protocols and procedures.
Erb's Palsy is caused by many things, but the most common cause is injury to the brachial-plexus during childbirth. The most common cause of this injury is when a doctor or midwife applies excessive force to deliver the baby. It can also happen when the baby is in a breech position or when a doctor fails to perform an Cesarean section when there are signs of a complicated birth.
Symptoms of brachial plexus injury include weakness or paralysis of the affected hand and arm and shoulder, difficulty in moving the shoulder and hand, as well as an inability to grip the hand and fingers. The nerves may also heal over time but it takes years. Some people will never regain full functionality in their arms and hands even after surgery.
The brachial plexus can be diagnosed through physical examinations, MRIs and other tests like nerve conduction studies as well as electrical stimulation. The doctor will evaluate the strength of your arm, its range of motion and sensation with the side that is unaffected.
Brain Injuries
The majority of the most devastating birth injuries are brain-related. If your child has a brain injury, then you could be eligible for financial compensation. These damages can be used to pay for future medical treatments, therapy and other treatments your child may require to manage his orher illness. Contact a skilled Illinois birth injury lawyer for assistance.
Brain damage during labor and birth is usually caused by asphyxia, which happens when an infant does not receive enough oxygen. It can occur in many ways, including problems with the umbilical cord, problems with the placenta or prolonged labor.
Forceps or scissors, as well as other tools are sometimes used by doctors to assist with more complex deliveries. However, if they are used improperly or negligently, they can result in serious injuries to the head. These injuries can result in facial fractures, swelling or bruises on the scalp and also damage to the brain.
You could be able to make a claim for medical negligence if your child suffered brain damage as a result of an error made by a doctor during the delivery or labor. You'll need a skilled birth injury lawyer to ensure you know the laws in your state and that your claim meets the standards.
Generally, you'll have to file your medical malpractice lawsuit within two years from the date of the negligence or in certain cases it is within two years of the date you first realized that you had suffered an injury. To begin it is essential to contact a birth injury attorney in your area.
The medical negligence that leads to birth injuries can have devastating consequences for families. A successful legal action could result in a substantial settlement that covers the cost of medical treatment for your family, replaces any income your child might not be able to earn and also compensates for your child's suffering, pain and emotional stress. Our firm has the experience and understanding required to fight for your child's right to a fair settlement. Contact us today for a no-cost case review. We do not charge fees unless we settle or win your case.
Shoulder Dystocia
Shoulder dystocia can be described as a type of birth injury that occurs when the shoulders of a newborn get stuck in the pelvis of the mother during delivery. This condition is a fairly common one, and a lot of doctors are trained to spot it and act to prevent serious complications for mother and child. If the doctor mishandles shoulder dislocation both the mother and child could be afflicted with serious injuries and disabilities.
This complication is generally due to the fetus being too large to pass through the birth canal. This is often a sign that the maternity team will need to perform a C section to give birth safely. In certain instances however, the obstetrician may not recognize that the fetus was too large to be delivered vaginally and instead applies excessive force during labor and delivery or long tension to pull the baby out of the birth canal.
If a baby's arm is wedged between the mother's pubic bones during labor, this can cause a variety of complications. These include fractures of the collarbone (clavicle) or upper arm bone(humerus). It can also lead to a compressed umbilical cord which blocks oxygen and blood flow. It could also cause rupture of the uterine artery and uterine hemorrhage.
The medical team should be able recognize shoulder dystocia if they see an inability to progress after the head delivery or if the fetus pulls back into the pelvis of the mother and is a sign referred to as the"turtle neck" sign. The physician should then call for assistance and request that additional team members - typically an obstetrician of senior standing as well as a senior midwife and a paediatrician - come into the delivery room to help in the delivery.
If a doctor did not respond quickly enough to this situation, or used unnecessary force during the birth, it can be considered medical malpractice. A Chicago birth injury attorney will review medical records and consult with experts to determine if there was an act of negligence that contributed to the shoulder dystocia of your child. This information can be used to prove the claim for injury. Fortunately, the majority of children who sustain shoulder dystocia recover completely by three.
birth trauma attorney can be described as an open neural tube defect that occurs when the spine's bones (vertebrae) do not completely close, leaving part of the meninges and the spinal cord (protective membranes covering the spinal nerves and the brain) inside a sac-like skin that protrudes into the body. The most common form of spina bifida, myelomeningocele, occurs in about one-half to one out of every 1,000 pregnancies in the United States. It is unclear what causes spina bifida but it is thought to be related to folic acid deficiency in the mother, genetics, and the environment.
Spina bifida is a condition that can be detected at the time of birth. A doctor could detect it by looking at the back of a newborn or by taking a look at an image scan like an X-ray or ultrasound.
If your child was born with spina Bifida treatment could include surgery to close the gap in the spine physical therapy to increase the strength of muscles and range motion, a wheelchair and special braces. Children and babies with this condition might also require diapers or undergo bladder or bowel surgeries to help manage issues with their bowels such as incontinence, or difficulty emptying the bladder.
You should speak with an Chicago birth injury lawyer as early as you can after your child's injury. The limitation period for medical malpractice cases is two years following the date of the injury. Evidence may also disappear as time passes. Witnesses might relocate or their memories of the case could fade. The longer you put off consulting with an attorney, the more difficult it will be to establish your case.
If a child is born with an injury to their birth that requires ongoing care it can be financially and emotionally draining for the whole family. If a healthcare worker's negligence caused your child's birth injury, you may be entitled to compensation for your child. Contact a Chicago birth injury lawyer to discuss your case and find out whether you are eligible for financial compensation.