Our Birth Injury Lawyers Help Parents Get Justice for Their Injured Children
When a birth injury occurs, children and their parents deserve answers. At Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group, we understand that while financial compensation cannot change the past, it can provide significant relief from the demands of future care and help address the losses your family has suffered. Contact our birth injury lawyers today to learn more about what you can do to hold the health care provider who caused your child’s injury accountable for their negligence and receive the compensation you need to help your family move forward.
Common Causes of Birth Injuries
Birth injuries can be caused by the negligence of doctors, nurses, midwives, doulas, anesthesiologists, and other health care professionals. Some of the specific errors that can lead to birth injuries include:
Failure to monitor fetal and maternal health during pregnancy and delivery
Regular monitoring is crucial to detect potential issues early, and neglecting this duty can lead to missed warning signs and complications.
Misidentification or delayed response to fetal distress
Failing to recognize or promptly address signs of fetal distress, such as abnormal heart rate patterns, can result in oxygen deprivation and severe brain damage.
Improper use of delivery tools (forceps, vacuum extractors)
When used incorrectly, these tools can cause skull fractures, brain bleeding, or nerve damage to the baby.
Medication errors
Administering the wrong type or dosage of medication, particularly anesthesia, can harm both mother and baby, potentially leading to allergic reactions, respiratory issues, or other complications.
Delayed C-section
Waiting too long to perform a necessary cesarean section can result in oxygen deprivation or physical trauma to the baby.
Mismanagement of high-risk pregnancies
Failing to provide appropriate care and monitoring for mothers with conditions like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or multiple gestations can lead to serious complications for both mother and child.
Oxygen deprivation during delivery
Various factors can cause oxygen deprivation, including umbilical cord issues or prolonged labor, potentially resulting in brain damage or cerebral palsy.
Excessive force or trauma during delivery
Using too much force during delivery, particularly in cases of shoulder dystocia or breech births, can cause injuries such as brachial plexus injuries or fractures.
Failure to diagnose and treat maternal infections or conditions
Untreated maternal infections or medical conditions can be passed to the baby or create complications during pregnancy and delivery.
Types of Birth Injury Cases We Handle
Our firm has experience with a wide range of birth injury cases, including those involving:
Cerebral palsy
A group of disorders affecting movement and muscle coordination, often caused by brain damage during pregnancy, delivery, or shortly after birth.
Erb's palsy and brachial plexus injuries
Nerve damage in the shoulder area that can occur during difficult deliveries, potentially leading to weakness or paralysis in the arm.
Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
A type of brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation and limited blood flow to the brain, which can result in developmental delays, cognitive impairments, or cerebral palsy.
Spinal cord injuries
Damage to the spinal cord during delivery, potentially leading to partial or complete paralysis, sensory loss, or other neurological issues.
Facial paralysis
Injury to facial nerves during delivery, often due to pressure on the face or improper use of forceps, resulting in partial or complete loss of facial movement.
Fractures and bone injuries
Broken bones or fractures that can occur during difficult deliveries, particularly in cases of breech births or when excessive force is used.
Shoulder dystocia
A birth complication where the baby's shoulder becomes stuck behind the mother's pubic bone, potentially leading to brachial plexus injuries or oxygen deprivation.
Neonatal infections
Infections acquired before, during, or shortly after birth that can lead to serious complications if not promptly diagnosed and treated.
Kernicterus (severe jaundice)
Caused by excessive bilirubin in a newborn's blood, this can lead to brain damage if left untreated.
How Our Texas Birth Injury Lawyers Can Help
Birth injuries take a significant financial and emotional toll on children and their families. Regardless of how long families must endure the fallout from a birth injury, many of them face similar monetary and nonmonetary losses. At Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group, our experienced birth injury lawyers work to ensure you are fully compensated for the harm your child has suffered.
Monetary Losses
Monetary losses are losses that directly affect your financial health. They include:
- Doctors’ bills
- Hospital bills
- Bills for medication and rehabilitation
- Lost income
- Lost earning capacity
- Expenses for necessary modifications to home and car
- Outlays associated with hiring workers to help around the house
With even the most minor of birth injuries, these monetary losses can add up over time and leave a family struggling financially.
Nonmonetary Losses
Nonmonetary losses caused by birth injuries do not directly affect a family’s pocketbook. However, they negatively impact lives just as much and sometimes more than monetary losses. They include:
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Permanent disability and disfigurement
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
Although nonmonetary damages do not have exact price tags, there are methods to determine the amount of money that victims deserve for suffering these losses. The severity of the injury generally affects the amount of nonmonetary damages.
