Negligent medical care during pregnancy, delivery, or soon after birth can result in catastrophic injury to the baby that can leave the child with severe impairments and parents facing the reality that their child may never be capable of caring for themselves. Medical errors resulting in birth injury can mean huge expenses that may include multiple surgeries, physical therapy, medication, ongoing treatment, and a lifetime of attendant care for the injured child.
In many cases, parents and physicians know right away when a child is born with a serious birth injury. Other times, serious birth injuries can go undetected until their signs and symptoms begin to appear later in a child’s life, often in the form of delayed or abnormal development.
If you think your child was seriously injured at birth, no matter what your child’s age is now, we can help. We can give you information about what happened, what to look for, and how to protect your rights.
Contact one of Tinker Law Firm, PLLC’s birth injury attorneys today for a free initial consultation. Our attorneys are passionate advocates for injured children and we have the resources and knowledge to investigate your case, give you objective information about what happened, and pursue compensation for you and your child. We are well-known for our proven experience and results in helping birth injury victims and their families. From anywhere in Washington, you can reach us by simply calling (206) 752-4366 or by using our online form.
Cerebral palsy is a general term. It refers to several disorders that can arise after a baby’s brain is damaged or fails to develop properly. In some cases, cerebral palsy is caused when an obstetrician or other healthcare provider makes a preventable mistake that injures the child shortly before, during, or after the child is born.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy typically appear as problems with a child’s movement, senses, posture, muscle coordination, and intellectual abilities.
In all cases, it’s important to remember that cerebral palsy birth injuries might not be detected right away. In fact, they might not show up until years later, when the child begins to show symptoms of delayed or abnormal development.
Cerebral palsy is a permanent disorder that doesn’t get better or worse. In most cases, that means it’s not life-threatening. It also means that cerebral palsy victims can suffer a lifetime of serious disabilities, along with all of the associated emotional and physical hardships, as well as substantial ongoing medical costs.
If you’re worried that your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, you need answers to these important questions:
Brachial plexus injuries are another type of potentially serious birth injury. The brachial plexus is a bundle of nerves that runs from a person’s spine to the shoulder, and then to the arm and hand. The nerves in the bundle carry signals between the person’s brain, hand, and arm.
The brachial plexus can be injured if the nerve bundle is stretched or torn. For babies, this sometimes happens because of complications at birth, such as a lengthy delivery or improper positioning of the baby’s body in the birth canal. A physician’s improper efforts to assist delivery also can wedge the baby’s shoulder against the birth canal, pull on the baby’s shoulders, or press on the baby’s arms, resulting in permanent nerve damage to the brachial plexus.
Brachial plexus injuries usually cause weakness or paralysis in the hand or arm below the injured shoulder. The specific name of given to the injury depends upon what portion of the arm is affected:
The signs and symptoms of a brachial plexus injury usually appear at or shortly after birth. Often, the baby might not move its arm or hand, the arm or hand might show signs of weakness, or the infant might not have proper reflex responses below the affected shoulder.
Treatments are available to help infants who suffer brachial plexus injury, depending on the type and severity of the condition.
Any child suffering from a serious birth injury stands the best chance of maximum recovery with early intervention and treatment. This means a comprehensive medical examination to determine the extent of the child’s injury, followed by medical treatment and therapy focused on the child’s specific needs, all with a goal of improving the child’s independence and quality of life.
Serious birth injuries like cerebral palsy can result in substantial costs for an injured child’s lifetime care and treatment. If a physician, hospital, clinic, or other healthcare provider is responsible for your child’s serious birth injury, you may have a legal claim for compensation. Getting that compensation can make an enormous difference in the quality of care available for your child, while at the same time helping to protect your family’s financial security.
That’s where the Washington birth injury attorneys at Tinker Law Firm, PLLC can help.
Tinker Law Firm, PLLC’s experienced birth injury lawyers have a proven record of getting results for birth injury victims and their families. We’ve recovered millions of dollars in compensation for victims of serious birth injuries. We’re known, respected, and trusted for our handling of serious and complex birth injury cases.
Please contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll explain how we can put our dedication and experience to work for you. From anywhere in Washington you can reach us to schedule a consultation about your case by simply calling (206) 752-4366 or by using our online form.