Birth Injury Case Evaluation

Children with birth injuries that could be prevented face staggering medical bills, adversity in treatment and permanent disability. Medical malpractice claims can help to ease financial burdens, and also provide justice.

To be successful in a claim lawyers for injurys near me must prove that the hospitals or doctors did not follow accepted standards of care during labor and birth. This is often accomplished by a thorough review of medical records and expert witness testimony.

Cerebral palsy

Cerebral Palsy is permanent motor impairment caused by injuries to the embryonic central nervous system that occur in utero, during birth (perinatal) or in early infancy. It can affect a broad range of body movements, and the severity of the condition can range from moderate to severe. The symptoms of the condition vary with age, but it is not progressive.

In contrast to other conditions, it is not testable. A thorough and comprehensive evaluation will help medical professionals determine if a child's condition stems from cerebral palsy. This includes a full assessment of mobility and neurological issues.

The examinations will focus on the child's muscle tone and balance as well as their reflexes and ability to move. Musculoskeletal examinations can reveal problems like hip dislocation, scoliosis and contractures. Additionally a speech and language evaluation can indicate a child's level of intellectual development and speech production.

Cerebral Palsy is diagnosed using neuroimaging which allows doctors to see the brain in detail. This is a noninvasive method of assessing the extent of brain damage. However, it doesn't allow doctors to predict the impact of this injury on the child's symptoms.

In some cases the diagnosis of cerebral palsy cannot be made until the child is at least a year old, since symptoms may change during this period. Despite this however, a classification of a condition on the basis of severity as well as topographical distribution and tone is useful as a method of communicating a child's degree of impairment and influence treatment.

Physical and occupational therapy are the most effective treatments for Cerebral Palsy. These therapies can improve the mobility of children and decrease the risk of joint problems like scoliosis. Speech therapy and adaptive equipment can also help the child with the daily tasks and enable him or her to better interact with their family and friends. Based on the circumstances that surround the child's health, there are also several types of financial assistance available. This includes charities and foundations that can alleviate the burden of paying for treatment and care.

Brachial Plexus Injuries

A brachial-plexus injury is the result of an injury to the five nerves that branch off from the spinal cord at the neck and conduct signals from the spinal cord to the arm, shoulder and hand. Each side of the body is covered by a brachial-plexus. Some infants recover without treatment but the majority will benefit from physical therapy and occupational therapy. A smaller group of infants might require surgerype of this condition is Erb's palsy. It is caused by a significant stretching or tear of the upper brachial nerves during the labor and birth.

A doctor can identify Erb palsy with a physical exam of the infant's hand. The doctor will look for a lack in movement in the affected hand, a limping wrist, and a deficiency in Moro reflexes (the infant's involuntary response to a decrease in head support). The health professional might also recommend an imaging test, like an ultrasound or X-ray, or a nerve test, such as an electromyogram, or a nerve conduction test.

In many cases, Erb's palsy occurs when an inexperienced physician applies too much lateral pressure to the infant during forceps delivery. This type of traction can be minimized by having the second phase of labor be shorter or having the mother lay on her back for a part of the delivery. By delivering via C-section, doctors can decrease the chance of injury claims lawyers.

Other brachial plexus injury is possible 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 kind of injury lawsuit is commonly referred to as a "waiter's tip" posture because the limb hangs to the side and is rotated medially, pronated, flexed, and extended at the wrist.

If your child is diagnosed with one of these ailments it is crucial to speak with a medical malpractice attorney immediately. Beth has more than 18 years of experience in specialized expertise in labor and birth and can assist you in determining whether your child's medical provider was negligent and could have caused these avoidable injuries.

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) occurs when a birth issue reduces blood flow and oxygen to the baby. HIE is a serious brain condition that can lead to permanent brain damage. The effects of HIE can be severe or mild and usually begin within a few weeks of birth. HIE is an illness that is part of the larger category of birth-related injuries, referred to as neonatal Encephalopathy.

A baby can develop HIE due to complications during labor and delivery, such as excessive bleeding in the mother's blood vessels or a breech birth an extended labor and delivery or a forceps delivery. A baby's low birth weight may be the reason for HIE.

To determine if a child has HIE, doctors will evaluate the infant's APGAR scores and look for signs of a neurological impairment. A low APGAR score may indicate a need for immediate medical intervention. Doctors can conduct blood tests to assess the acid buildup in the umbilical chord, which can indicate that a baby might have been suffering from an oxygen deficiency or a decrease in blood flow.

If an infant is suspected to have HIE the doctors usually try to combat it with a treatment known as therapeutic hypothermia. In this procedure the child is swaddled in a cooling blanket and given medication to help him or her sleep. During cooling, doctors will be able to monitor the infant's heartbeat and breathing, body temperature and brain activity.

When a baby is completely re-warmed then an electromagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan will be conducted. MRIs are the best Injury lawyers method to determine HIE and the pattern of its injury claims lawyers. The results of an MRI can sometimes show an injury time-frame, which is helpful when trying to determine whether the child's symptoms may be caused by HIE.

After a diagnosis of HIE infants should be closely monitored throughout their lives. They will see a neurologist and neonatologist, and they might be treated with physical, speech, or occupational therapy in order to manage their symptoms. The goal is to assist these children realize their full potential, and to make as healthy as they can.