Birth Injury Case Evaluation

Parents of children who suffer from preventable birth injuries face astronomical medical expenses, difficult therapies and permanent disabilities. Medical malpractice claims can help to reduce financial burdens and provide justice.

In order to win the case, attorneys need to prove that doctors or hospitals did not follow accepted standards of care when it came to labor and delivery. This is usually accomplished by an in-depth review of medical records, or expert witness testimony.

Cerebral palsy

Cerebral Palsy is a permanent motor disability caused by injuries to the embryonic central nervous system that happen in utero, during delivery (perinatal) or early infancy. It affects a variety of body movements. It may be mild, moderate, or severe in intensity. The symptoms of this condition can vary with age, but it isn't progressive.

Like many other conditions it is not testable. A thorough and thorough evaluation will help medical professionals determine if a child's illness stems from cerebral palsy. This includes a complete assessment of mobility and neurologic function.

The tests will assess the child's muscles, posture, balance, reflexes, capacity to move, and other aspects that impact a child's movement. Musculoskeletal exams can reveal issues like hip dislocation, scoliosis, and contractures. In addition, a speech and language evaluation can indicate a child's level of development in terms of intelligence and speech production.

Cerebral Palsy is diagnosed using neuroimaging which allows doctors to view the brain in a detailed manner. This is a noninvasive way to assess the extent of brain injury. It is not able to help doctors determine the effects of the injury on a child's symptoms.

Some children aren't diagnosed with cerebral palsy until they are several years old as the symptoms can change. However the classification of a condition based on severity of the condition, topographic distribution and muscle tone is a good method of communicating a child's degree of impairment and influence the treatment.

Physical and occupational therapy are the most effective treatment options for Cerebral Palsy. These therapies can improve the mobility of a child and reduce the risk of joint deformities like scoliosis. Speech therapy and adaptive equipment may aid the child in the daily tasks and allow them to better interact with family and others. Based on the specific circumstances of the child's condition there are a variety of types of financial assistance available. There are also charitable organizations and foundations that can ease the burden of paying for treatment and care.

Brachial Plexus Injury

A brachial-plexus ailment occurs when the five nerves which branch from the spine at the neck are damaged. These nerves transmit signals from the spine to the shoulder, hand and arm. Each side of the body is covered by a brachial-plexus. Some infants who suffer from brachial-plexus injuries will recover without treatment, however the majority will benefit from occupational and physical therapy. A smaller group of infants might require surgery to achieve Good Injury Lawyers Near Me results.

A doctor can identify a baby with brachial plexus injuries based on the medical history and physical examination. Doctors can request special imaging tests like an MRI, CT scan or nerve conduction studies, however these tests are less reliable for babies. Doctors can test the strength and range of motion of a infant's arms by doing gentle range-of-motion exercises. This helps them track the progress over time.

The symptoms of a strain can differ based on the extent of the injury as well as which nerves are affected. The symptoms can include weakness in the arm, a lack of muscle movement, and diminished sensation (feeling) in the hand. Often the symptoms affect one side of the body, but often both sides are equally affected.

Neonatal brachial plexus syphilis (NBPP) is the most frequent birth injury that affects the brachial plexus, but it can also result from other causes. Brachial plexus injuries are more prevalent in babies who are large, who are in a breech birth position, or are pulled during birth. This type of injury could be seen in athletes who participate in contact sports such as football and blunt trauma.

NBPP is a condition that is diagnosed early on, usually within six weeks after birth. Most children will recover without intervention, however those who do not show improvement by a month should be evaluated by a team that can manage the disorder. These teams usually consist of an orthopedic surgeon for children, a physiatrist, and physical therapy.

Erb's Palsy

The brachial plexus (pronounced brake-ee-al), is a grouping of nerves running from the spinal cord to the shoulder, then down the arm into the hand. If this group of nerves are damaged during delivery, it may cause weakness or paralysis of the affected arm. The most common type of this condition is Erb's palsy. It is caused by significant stretching or tearing the upper brachial nerves in the delivery.

A doctor can identify Erb palsy by conducting an examination of the baby's hand. The health care provider will be looking for a lack of movement in the affected arm, a weak wrist and lack of Moro reflex (the baby's involuntary response to the reduction in head support). The health care professional could also request an imaging test, such as an X-ray or ultrasound or a nerve test, such as an electromyogram, or an examination of nerve conduction.

In many cases, Erb's palsy is caused when an untrained doctor applies too much lateral pressure to the infant during the forceps delivery. This type of traction can be minimized by having the second stage of labor be shorter or by placing the mother on her back for a part of the delivery. By delivering via C-section, doctors can decrease the risk of attorney injury lawyer.

Several other types of brachial plexus injuries may occur in addition to Erb's palsy. Klumpke palsy is a more serious form of this condition that involves damage to the nerves of the lower brachial plexus. This type of injury is often called a "waiter's tip" posture due to the fact that the limb is hung by the side and is rotated medially pronated, flexed and extended at the wrist.

It is crucial to contact a medical malpractice lawyer injury near me as soon as possible when your child has been diagnosed with any of these issues. Beth has over 18 years of experience in the birth and labor process and can assist you to determine if the doctor treating your child was negligent and may have caused these preventable injuries.

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), also known as hypoxic ischemic brain damage, occurs when a problem during birth decreases the oxygen and blood supply to the infant. HIE is a serious brain disorder that could lead to permanent brain damage. HIE's effects may be either severe or mild, and usually start within a few weeks of birth. HIE is one of the conditions that belong to a larger category of birth-related injuries called neonatal encephalopathy (NE).

A baby can develop HIE due to complications during labor and delivery, such as excessive bleeding in the mother's blood vessels, a breech birth, prolonged labor and delivery, or a forceps delivery. The baby's birth weight is low and could be a cause of HIE.

To determine if there is HIE in infants, doctors look at the infant's APGAR scores and any signs of neurological impairment. A low APGAR could be a sign that you need immediate medical treatment. Doctors can also conduct tests on blood to determine acid build-up in the umbilical cord, which is a sign that a baby suffers from an oxygen deficit or a decreased flow of blood to the brain.

If a doctor suspects that a child is suffering from HIE, they will often use a treatment called therapeutic hypothermia to combat the condition. During this treatment the infant is placed in a cool blanket and given medication to help him or her sleep. During the cooling process doctors continuously monitor the heart rate, breathing condition and body temperature, along with brain activity.

Once a baby is fully re-warmed, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is performed. MRIs are the best injury lawyers way to identify HIE and its injury attorneys pattern. The results of an MRI may reveal the time frame of injury which can be helpful when trying to determine whether the child's symptoms are caused by HIE.

After a HIE diagnosis newborns will have to be monitored closely for the rest their lives. They'll see a pediatrician and neurologist, and may have physical, speech and occupational therapy to help them deal with their symptoms. The goal is to make the children as healthy as possible and to help them reach their full potential.