A lot can go wrong during pregnancy and during childbirth that can lead to a child’s birth injury. Often these issues do not leave lasting damage, but sometimes they leave a baby with lifelong disabilities and challenges. One of the most common types of birth injuries is known as cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is more of a generic term than a specific condition. The umbrella of this term covers a wide range of birth injuries that interfere with the function of a baby’s brain. Cerebral palsy can also cause body movement disabilities. The factors that cause cerebral palsy can happen during pregnancy while the baby is in the womb, during the delivery process or in the hours and days following birth.
In some cases your doctor, obstetrician, hospital or medical staff will be at fault for the cerebral palsy and you can seek financial restitution in court by holding the at-fault parties responsible. Here are some circumstances in which medical staff may be to blame:
- The treating physician did not recognize that the baby required extra oxygen by performing an emergency cesarean section, or there was a longer than necessary delay before a cesarean section was performed.
- The mother was prescribed harmful medications during her pregnancy and these caused her baby to suffer birth injuries.
- The baby suffered head trauma during a rough delivery and experienced prolonged bleeding in the brain following birth.
- The birth was very premature.
Do you suspect that your baby contracted cerebral palsy because your doctor failed to do what was necessary to protect your health and that of your child’s? The personal injury law firm of Reinig, Barber & Henry is available to talk with you about filing a lawsuit to seek justice and financial restitution in court.
