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What Are the 3 Most Common Birth Injuries in Louisiana?

September 14th, 2016
On behalf of David Bowling of The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm, A Professional Law Corporation posted in Birth Injuries on Wednesday, September 14, 2016.

Having a baby should be one of the happiest moments in your life. Unfortunately, for many families, their special day is a confusing, even traumatic event that changes the course of their future.

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Just shy of 4 million babies were born in the United States in 2014, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Vital Statistics System. This makes childbirth by far the most common reason why Americans visit the hospital.

Unfortunately, many of those births don’t go as planned: According to the most recent data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, almost 157,700 mothers and newborns suffered avoidable injuries during childbirth in 2006.

If your child is showing signs that he or she may have suffered an injury during birth, contact a medical malpractice lawyer from the The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm. You may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim.

David A. Bowling is an experienced birth injury attorney in New Orleans who will evaluate your case and explain your legal options. Call (504) 586-5200 to schedule a consultation. You can also learn more about medical malpractice lawsuits in Louisiana by visiting USAttorneys.com

Let’s take a look at three common birth injuries:

1. Brain Damage

Doctors must carefully monitor a wide range of complex measurements during birth. One of the most important factors to track is oxygen deprivation. Unfortunately, this occurs far more often than it should, and when it does, it can cause a traumatic brain injury.

Although most doctors notice oxygen deprivation and resolve the issue quickly, it only takes a moment for a lack of oxygen to cause rapid cell death in the brain. The effects of brain damage may not be noticeable until several years after birth.

2. Brachial Plexus Injuries

Every birth is unique, and there are countless complications that can arise during delivery. Depending on the baby’s position at the time of childbirth, doctors may resort to forceful or dangerous delivery techniques – putting your infant at risk of injury.

The brachial plexus is a network of nerve endings surrounding the spinal cord. If the doctor uses the wrong technique to remove the baby, then he or she can damage the brachial plexus. This can cause permanent disabilities and a lack of sensation in the shoulders, arms and hands.

3. Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability among children in the United States. The condition causes several serious, often permanent physical symptoms, such as muscle spasms or seizures, and severe problems in the development of motor skills.

Medical error is one of the most common causes of cerebral palsy. Maternal infections, for example, can negatively affect the infant’s development if they are not caught and treated in time.

A birth injury is emotionally traumatic for the entire family. It can also be expensive to raise a child with a permanent physical or cognitive disability. If your infant was injured during birth, then you may be entitled to compensation to pay for ongoing health care and other expenses.

Making a successful medical malpractice claim is a complicated legal endeavor. A New Orleans birth injury attorney from the The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm will tenaciously and compassionately represent your interests. Call (504) 586-5200 to schedule a consultation.

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