Birth Injury Case Evaluation

Children suffering from preventable birth injuries are faced with astronomical medical costs, difficult therapies, and permanent disabilities. Medical malpractice claims can help to reduce financial burdens and offer justice.

To be successful lawyers For injurys near Me must show that doctors or hospitals did not adhere to accepted standards of care when it came to labor and delivery. This is typically accomplished through an exhaustive review of medical records or expert witness testimony.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is also known as cerebral palsy is a permanent impairment resulted from an injury to the central nervous system. This can occur during pregnancy (perinatal) or during the early years of childhood. It affects a variety of body movements. It may be mild, moderate or severe in severity. The symptoms of the condition vary with age, but it isn't progressive.

It is not a testable condition, unlike many others. A thorough and thorough evaluation can help medical professionals determine if a child's condition is caused by cerebral palsy. This includes a complete assessment of mobility and neurologic function.

The tests will look at the child's muscle tone, posture and balance, reflexes, ability to move and other factors that influence a child's movements. A musculoskeletal exam can detect hip dislocations, scoliosis, and contractures. A speech and language evaluation will also reveal the child's intellectual development as well as their ability to produce speech sounds.

Cerebral Palsy is diagnosed using neuroimaging which allows doctors to see the brain in detail. This is a noninvasive way of assessing the extent of brain damage. It is not able to help doctors predict the effects of the injury on a child’s symptoms.

Some children may not be diagnosed with cerebral palsy until they are several years old because symptoms can fluctuate. The classification of a condition according to severity, topographical location, and muscle tone can be helpful in determining the degree of impairment and the impact it has on treatment.

The most effective treatment options for Cerebral Palsy include physical and occupational therapy. These can help improve the mobility of a child and reduce the risk of joint deformities like scoliosis. Speech therapy and adaptive equipment can also help the child with his or her daily activities and enable him or her to better interact with family members and other. Based on the circumstances that surround the child's condition there are a variety of types of financial assistance available. There are also charity groups and foundations who can help ease the burden of paying for treatment and medical care.

Brachial Plexus Injury

A brachial-plexus injury is the result of an injury lawyer near me to the five nerves that originate from the spinal cord in the neck. They transmit signals from the spinal cord to the shoulder, arm and hand. There is a brachial plexus on each side of the body. Some infants recover without treatment, however the majority will benefit from physical therapy and occupational therapy. A smaller proportion of infants might require surgery to get the best results.

A baby with an injury to the brachial area is diagnosed by their primary physician according to their medical history and physical exam. A doctor may also order special imaging tests, such as an MRI or CT scan, or nerve conduction studies however, these tests are not as reliable for babies. Doctors can also assess the strength and movement of the child's muscles in their arms by performing mild range of motion exercises which aids in tracking the development of their muscles over time.

The symptoms of brachial-plexus injuries can vary based on how severe the injury is and the specific nerves affected. Symptoms can include weakness of the arm, a lack of movement of the muscles, and a decrease in sensation (feeling) in the hand. Often the symptoms affect one side of the body, however sometimes both sides are affected equally.

Neonatal brachial-plexus palsy (NBPP) is the most frequent cause of birth injuries that affects the brachial nerve however, it can result from other causes. Brachial plexus injuries are more prevalent in large babies, those who are in a breech birth position, or those who are pulled during birth. This type of injury could also occur in athletes who play contact sports like football and blunt trauma.

NBPP can be identified at an early age, typically within six to eight weeks after birth. Most children will recover without intervention, but those that do not improve within a month have to be assessed by a team of experts. These teams are usually made by a pediatric orthopedist along with a physiatrist and physical therapy.

Erb's Palsy

The brachial plexus (pronounced brake-ee-al) is a collection of nerves that run from the spinal chord to the shoulder, and down the arm into the hand. This nerve group can be injured during delivery and cause weakness or paralysis of the affected arm. The most commonly reported form of this injury lawyer is Erb's palsy. It is caused by significant stretching or tear of the upper brachial plexus nerves in labor and delivery.

A doctor can diagnose Erb palsy by conducting a physical exam of the infant's hand. The health care provider looks for a lack in movement in the affected hand or wrist, a limping wrist and a lack in Moro reflexes (the infant's involuntary reaction to a decrease in head support). The health care professional could also request an imaging test, like 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 physician applies too much lateral tension to the infant during forceps delivery. This type of traction can be decreased by using a shorter second stage of labor or by placing the mother on her back during part of the delivery. A doctor can also reduce the risk of this type of injury by delivering by C-section.

Many other types of injuries to the brachial system may occur in addition to Erb's palsy. Klumpke Palsy is the more severe form of this condition which causes damage to the lower brachial nerves. This type of injury can be referred to as "waiter's tips" because the limb is suspended by the side, rotated medially, and pronated. It is also flexed, extended and flexed at the wrist.

It is important that you contact a lawyer injury for medical malpractice as soon as you can in the event that your child is diagnosed with one of these conditions. Beth has more than 18 years of specialized expertise in labor and birth and can assist in determining whether the medical professional who treated your child committed acts of negligence that may have led to these avoidable injuries.

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a condition that occurs when a birth defect reduces blood flow and oxygen to the infant. HIE is a serious illness that can result in permanent, severe brain damage. The effects of HIE can vary from mild to severe and usually start within a few weeks after birth. HIE is one of the conditions that belong to the larger category of birth-related injuries called neonatal encephalopathy (NE).

HIE can be caused by problems during labor and birth. This includes excessive bleeding in the mother’s blood vessels as well as forceps delivery, prolonged labor, and excessive bleeding. It's possible that a baby can have an underlying problem such as a low birth weight that can lead to HIE.

To determine if a child has HIE doctors will look at the infant's APGAR scores and look for signs of a neurological impairment. A low APGAR can indicate the need for immediate medical treatment. Doctors can also use tests on blood to determine the amount of acid that is accumulating in the umbilical artery, which can indicate that a baby is suffering from an oxygen shortage or decreased blood flow to the brain.

If a child is suspected of having HIE doctors often attempt to treat it with a treatment known as therapeutic hypothermia. In this procedure the infant is swaddled in a cooling blanket and given medicine to aid in getting sleep. During the cooling process, doctors be able to monitor the infant's heartbeat and body temperature, breathing and brain activity.

After the baby has fully re-warmed, a magnetic resonance image (MRI) will be taken. MRIs are the best method to identify HIE and its specific injury pattern. The results of an MRI can sometimes show an injury time-frame, which is helpful in determining if the child's symptoms are due to HIE.

After an HIE diagnosis newborns will have to be monitored closely throughout their lives. They'll see a pediatrician and neurologist, and may have physical, speech and occupational therapy to help them cope with their symptoms. The goal is to assist these children realize their full potential and get as healthy as they can.