Birth Paralysis
Paralysis refers to the loss of sensation or movement in a body part, usually due to spinal cord or nerve damage. When paralysis occurs during an infant's birth, the injury may have been caused by medical malpractice or negligence and should be investigated by an experienced
birth injury attorney.
When a medical professional is found to be at fault for birth paralysis, there are normally two common underlying causes. The first cause is the failure by a doctor to take immediate action during a breech (feet first) or difficult delivery. A delay in performing a cesarean section (C-section) or other emergency delivery action could result in loss of blood flow to the infant's brain, causing cerebral palsy and paralysis. The second common cause of birth paralysis is an inappropriate delivery technique that causes nerve damage in the arms, legs or spinal cord. This usually occurs in a case of shoulder dystocia or a situation where the infant is forcefully removed from the birth canal.
Types of Paralysis Caused by Medical Malpractice
Depending on the extent of an infant's birth injury, paralysis could occur in any part of the body and may vary from mild to complete paralysis. Some of the most common forms of paralysis include:
- Quadriplegia - Both legs and arms are immobile
- Paraplegia - No feeling in legs or control of any leg movement
- Diplegia - Paralysis of symmetrical parts of the body
- Erb's Palsy - Paralysis of only the shoulder and upper arm
- Klumpke's Palsy - Paralysis that affects only the lower arm, wrist, and hand
Contact a Birth Paralysis Attorney
Parents who have a child with paralysis or other forms of birth injuries will find that their infant will require a lifetime of medical care and physical therapy. Also, parent's of an infant afflicted with some form of paralysis are normally overcome with fears concerning the quality of life for their child. However, at this difficult time, it’s important for parents to carefully review what happened during the prenatal care period, and in the delivery room, so they can determine if a medical professional played any role in causing the paralysis.
Fortunately, at the Law Offices of Dr. Bruce Fagel & Associates, our birth injury lawyers have extensive experience helping families make such determinations by carefully reviewing all of the pertinent medical records. If there is strong evidence that a doctor may have caused the infant's paralyzed condition, the family will be briefed regarding their legal remedies. Long-term medical care for an infant with paralysis can be very expensive. If a medical professional caused the paralysis, their medical malpractice insurance must cover the infant's future medical needs.
Dr. Bruce Fagel is not only a highly successful birth injury attorney, he is a licensed physician as well. If negligence is proven, he is committed to ensuring that all responsible parties are held accountable for their actions. Dr. Fagel is not afraid to stand up to large hospitals or insurance companies and will not settle for anything less than the full compensation you and your child are entitled to.
If your infant has sustained any type of birth paralysis, and you believe medical malpractice or negligence may be the cause, you may qualify to seek financial compensation from the medical parties responsible for the injury. To discuss your birth injury claim with an experienced birth injury lawyer, contact our office today for a free case evaluation at 800-541-9376.