A Difficult Birth can cause a Nerve Damage Injury

Nerves play a very important role in sending function signals to different parts of our bodies. When a nerve damage injury occurs, it can affect the person’s ability to move or feel sensation in various parts of their body. If the nerve damage suspends signals to make the heart beat or the lungs breathe, the injury can be fatal.

Whether in adults, children or infants; nerve damage is generally caused by a traumatic injury. In the case of infants, nerve damage is often caused by a traumatic birth injury.

If your infant sustained lasting nerve damage from a traumatic birth injury, contact a medical malpractice lawyer. The law firm may be able to help you recover damages for medical expenses and pain and suffering.

Causes of nerve damage injury during the birthing process

The birthing process can be traumatic for both the mother and infant. In some cases the baby is poorly positioned or is too big to fit through the mother’s pelvis or birth canal. When this occurs the doctor needs to help the baby out before the umbilical cord becomes compressed and stops the flow of oxygen, which can cause brain damage.

In a difficult delivery where the infant becomes stuck, a doctor or nurse may attempt to reposition or pull on the baby with their hands or tools such as vacuums or forceps. The idea is to speed the time for delivery and reduce the risk of brain damage. If the intervention is not done correctly, however, the pulling or twisting can lead to a nerve damage injury in various parts of the infant’s body including the spinal cord, throat, neck or face.

Types of nerve injuries caused by birth injuries

There are four types of nerve injuries relevant to birth injuries. All four injuries can happen at the same time; in many cases they all create the same symptoms of loss of sensation and paralysis. The biggest factor in determining the type of nerve injury and appropriate treatment options is the level of severity.

1. Neurapraxia is the most common type of nerve injury. It is diagnosed when a nerve is stretched but doesn’t tear. The injury is felt as an electrical shock or burning sensation that shoots up and down the affected nerve. Neurapraxia typically heals on its own within three months.
2. Neuroma is a more serious type of nerve stretch injury. The stretching damages the nerve fibers and causes scar tissue to form as it heals. The weight of the scar tissue creates pressure on the remaining healthy nerve, resulting in only partial recovery.
3. Nerve ruptures are diagnosed when the nerve becomes torn. This type of nerve injury requires medical intervention; surgeons will typically splice a nerve taken from another part of the infant’s body and graft it to the damaged area.
4. Avulsions are the most severe types of nerve injuries; they occur when the nerve is totally torn away from the spinal cord. Avulsions do not heal by themselves and the affected nerve can’t be reattached to the spinal cord. However, in some cases doctors are able to help the infant regain some arm function by grafting a nerve from another muscle in the baby’s body.

The Seattle personal injury attorneys at Morrow Kidman Tinker Macey-Cushman, PLLC have years of experience representing families harmed by medical malpractice, birth injuries and other personal injuries. We seek justice for patients who have been harmed by preventable medical errors including wrongful death, catastrophic injuries and traumatic brain injuries in Seattle and across Washington State. There are no fees or expenses to file a personal injury case as we only receive payment if we recover damages on your behalf. Do not delay; personal injury claims come with a statute of limitations, which means they must be filed within a certain time frame of the injury.

Call us now at (206) 752-4366 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with one of our compassionate, experienced Seattle injury lawyers. We are ready to fight for you.