Birth injuries are often the worst kinds of medical malpractice injuries. Children, especially newborns, are always innocent. No matter what happened, the baby was completely unaware of what was happening and they had no way of consenting to any possible risks. A child’s injury from medical malpractice is always a tragedy.
In addition, birth injuries from medical malpractice usually require a lifetime of care. Birth injuries are different from traditional medical malpractice in one substantial way – a lifetime of care costs a fortune. If severity of an injury is measured by the costs to fix it, not make it worse, and/or cope with it, birth injuries are the worst medical malpractice.
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Asphyxiation
What Is Asphyxiation? According to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, perinatal asphyxiation occurs when a baby is without oxygen for a significant amount of time during or shortly after delivery. The lack of oxygen often causes neurological damage, which worsens as the child continues to be without oxygen. Perinatal asphyxiation can also cause damage to the child’s other vital organs. What are the […]
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Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
Ataxic Cerebral Palsy What Is Ataxic Cerebral Palsy? Cerebral palsy encompasses a class of conditions that result when a child’s brain is damaged before or during birth. Depending on the nature of the damage, the disorder may involve problems with sensation, muscle tone, movements and coordination. In some cases, the child’s muscles may be too […]
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Athetoid Cerebral Palsy
What Is Athetoid Cerebral Palsy? The term “cerebral palsy” refers to a class of disorders resulting from neurological damage. These disorders often involve problems with movement, muscle tone and sensation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, athetoid cerebral palsy occurs when the child is unable to control the movements of his or […]
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Bell’s Palsy
What Is Bell’s Palsy? Bell’s palsy is a condition that causes a single side of the face to become completely or partially paralyzed. In many cases, Bell’s palsy results after a virus causes swelling in the nerves that control movement and sensation in the face. However, it can also appear following a severe head trauma. […]
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Brachial Plexus
What Is Brachial Plexus? The term “brachial plexus” refers to the nerves that transmit signals from the spinal cord to the hand, arm and shoulder. Injuries often occur when these nerves are stretched or torn. Brachial plexus injuries are common during birth, especially when the baby is pulled or physically manipulated by the doctor, with […]
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Brain Damage to Baby
What Is Traumatic Brain Injury? A baby sustains brain damage when trauma to the head or lack of oxygen to the brain results in a lasting impairment of brain function. Babies with brain damage can experience a variety of different conditions including cerebral palsy, hematomas, hemorrhages and deformities. What are the Signs and Symptoms of Baby […]
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Cerebral Palsy
What Is Cerebral Palsy? According to the Mayo Clinic, cerebral palsy is a disorder of posture, muscle tone or movement that occurs when a baby’s brain develops incorrectly or experiences a trauma before or during birth. The condition can be caused by traumatic head injury, an infection, fetal stroke, lack of oxygen to the brain […]
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Death During Childbirth
Death during Childbirth Death during childbirth occurs when a mother or child dies during the birthing process. In some cases, “death during childbirth” may also refer to a mother or baby who died shortly after giving birth or shortly before labor should begin. In most cases, the symptoms of serious childbirth complications present long before […]
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Down Syndrome
What Is Down Syndrome? Down syndrome is a condition that results when a child receives an extra copy of a chromosome. Because of the additional genetic material, the child does not develop correctly. There are three primary types of Down syndrome: mosaicism, translocation and trisomy 21. According to the CDC, the condition affects about one out of 691 babies in the United States. […]
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Erb’s Palsy
What Is Erb’s Palsy? According to the American Society of Orthopedic Surgeons, Erb’s palsy is a form of brachial plexus palsy that occurs when a baby’s neck is stretched too far to one side during delivery. The stretching of the neck causes damage to the brachial plexus, a complex grouping of nerves close to the […]
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Medical Mistakes
Birth injuries are not always caused by medical mistakes. In fact, the majority of the time, birth injuries can’t be prevented by even the best doctors. Many birth injuries have long lasting effects, often requiring decades of very expensive care. When birth injuries are caused by a doctor error, or medical mistake, those responsible should […]
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Spastic Cerebral Palsy
What Is Spastic Cerebral Palsy? According to St. Louis Children’s Hospital, cerebral palsy is a condition in which a child’s posture and movement is compromised because of brain damage. In a child with cerebral palsy, the brain is unable to influence the amount of flexibility in the muscle. When the muscles are too tense, the […]