Frequently Asked Questions About Birth Injuries
Our Chicago Injury Law Firm Has Answers
If your newborn baby was born with "inexplicable" conditions
or you suspect that your doctors are not telling you everything, your
child may have been the victim of incompetent or negligent medical personnel.
Oftentimes, prolonged labor can be a sign that something went wrong with
you and your child's medical care during labor and delivery. We urge you
to inform yourself by getting your questions answered. You also may wish
to meet with a Chicago birth injury lawyer at our firm as soon as possible.
We provide you here with answers to some of the most commonly asked questions
regarding birth injuries.
How can a lack of oxygen during labor cause cerebral palsy?
During labor, oxygen is supplied to the unborn baby through the placenta
from the mother's circulation. If there are too many contractions, if too much
Pitocin* is being used, or if there is not enough rest in between contractions,
the baby may not get enough oxygen. If the doctors and nurses fail to
detect those problems, the baby can become
hypoxic (a lack of oxygen).
*Even the manufacturer of Pitocin warns of its potential danger of brain
damage if used improperly; yet doctors and nurses continue to cause brain
damage to unborn babies by injudicious use of Pitocin.
How do I know if my child has a
birth injury? The doctors tell me they don't know what is wrong with my child.
Although all children do not always respond the same, most babies with
an acute injury from a lack of oxygen or blood flow respond with what
is called the neonatal neurologic syndrome. Infants who have been asphyxiated
or had trauma during labor and delivery usually show irritability, stupor,
apnea, seizures, and other clinical signs and symptoms resulting from
acute brain damage. Some babies have bleeding in the brain. Many times,
children may have swelling or edema of the brain which can be seen on
a CT scan, MRI, or an ultrasound. Beam Legal Team knows how to comb through
the medical records to help you determine if negligence or
medical malpractice was the cause of your child's birth injuries.
My child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. What does this mean?
Cerebral palsy can be caused by damage to the brain that affects muscular, coordination,
and motor skills. It can be
caused by trauma or a lack of oxygen or blood flow during birth or in the neonatal period.
The cost of care for a child with cerebral palsy can extend throughout
life. Each case must be evaluated individually.
Should I file a lawsuit?
Before filing a lawsuit, we carefully examine the medical records and the
facts of your case to determine whether anyone is at fault. Contrary to
what the insurance industry would like you to believe, experienced attorneys
like those at Beam Legal Team carefully screen the cases. We do not sue
innocent doctors or hospitals without just cause. If it turns out that
you do have a case, you owe it to your child to seek justice in a court
of law. Some of the biggest fears of parents of special needs children
include the costs of caring for their child and who will take care of
their child after they are gone. Even fully-funded government programs
for special needs children do not provide the 24-hour care that most of
our clients will need for the rest of their lives.
Can I file a lawsuit if my child suffers from brachial plexus?
Brachial plexus, or Erb's palsy, is often caused by the failure to undertake
the proper maneuvers to properly deliver a child. Deviations of a delivery
surgeon's care can result in the infant suffering serious and even debilitating
injuries such as brachial plexus. If a child suffers from Erb's palsy,
this can be an indication that the health care provider's actions deviated
from the standard of care the patient deserved.
Birth Injury Lawyers Representing Children Across the U.S.
Beam Legal Team has witnessed some of the worst malpractice committed against
children in birth injury cases. We fight tirelessly for our clients and
have successfully secured over
one billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for children injured at birth. We have the resources and team of professionals
to fight the seemingly endless financial resources behind the hospital
industry and the mega-insurance companies that represent them.
If you suspect that your child has suffered from a birth injury,
call our firm to discuss your
birth injury case.
