New Orleans Medical Malpractice Lawyer Discusses 4 Brain Injuries during Childbirth

No parent should have to go through the trauma of a serious childbirth injury. Unfortunately, some forms of traumatic brain injuries are particularly common among infants – and medical malpractice contributes to many of them.

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, children from birth to age 4 are more at risk of suffering a TBI than any other age group in the United States. Each year, traumatic brain injuries in young children cause 2,685 deaths, 37,000 hospitalizations and more than 400,000 emergency room visits.

If you or your child was the victim of a health-care worker’s negligence, contact The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm. As a New Orleans medical malpractice lawyer, David A. Bowling can evaluate your injuries, gather evidence, structure your claim and fight for the maximum compensation.

Call (504) 586-5200 to schedule a consultation. You can also read more about medical malpractice in Louisiana by visiting https://medical-malpractice.usattorneys.com/louisiana/.

Here are four types of brain hemorrhages that can occur at birth:

1. Subdural Hemorrhage

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, a subdural hemorrhage, or subdural hematoma, is a blood clot that forms between the surface of the brain and its covering. New childbirth techniques make these injuries less common than in the past, but they still happen.

Subdural hemorrhages can put pressure on the surface of the infant’s brain, which can cause serious health complications. The child may develop high levels of bilirubin in the blood or suffer seizures.

2. Intraventricular Hemorrhage

An intraventricular hemorrhage occurs in the brain’s fluid-filled spaces. Children who are born more than 10 weeks early are at a high risk of intraventricular hemorrhage because their blood vessels are not yet fully developed.

There are various grades of IVH, and they may not show symptoms. As such, doctors should evaluate infants who are born prematurely by performing an ultrasound of the head.

3. Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

These hemorrhages occur below the innermost membrane that protects the brain. Subarachnoid hemorrhages are common in all full-term newborns. They may cause the child to have seizures a few days after birth, but the long-term prognosis is usually positive with appropriate treatment.

4. Intraparenchymal Hemorrhage

An intraparenchymal hemorrhage occurs when there is bleeding directly on the brain tissue. These are more common in premature babies who have severely underdeveloped brains; however, they can result from birth injuries.

What is the prescriptive period, or statute of limitations, on birth injuries in Louisiana?

If you or your child was the victim of a birth injury, you must file your claim within one year of the incident. If you did not discover the injury within one year, then you may still file the lawsuit if three years have not passed. If your infant was a wrongful death victim, then you must file the claim within one year.

If you or your child suffered injuries during birth, contact The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm. A New Orleans brain injury lawyer will evaluate your case to determine if you may have a valid claim. Call (504) 586-5200 to schedule a consultation.