Nothing can ever prepare a parent to receive bad news after a tough delivery. The joyful emotions of welcoming a child into the world can be overwhelmed with sadness, confusion, and anger when you realize something is wrong with your child. Although unfortunate, such feelings are normal and justified. Having questions is also normal during such times.

Once you've taken the time to process what happened to your child, you may wonder what's next. Why was my newborn injured? Who is to blame? Why did it happen to my baby? Could anything have been done to change what happened? Could a different health care provider have prevented the injuries?

If you have similar questions, you should consider speaking to a lawyer for birth injury in Miami. A lawyer specializing in medical malpractice cases can help you get the justice and compensation you deserve. They can investigate your birth injury case, establish the people to blame, and push for a fair settlement.

Signs You Need a Lawyer for Birth Injuries

Birth injuries occur for many reasons. Most of these reasons are preventable. Medical professionals may disregard accepted standards of care during labor, causing birth injuries like kernicterus or cerebral palsy. 

Oftentimes, birth injuries occur due to negligence. During such instances, a birth injuries lawyer can look into the specifics of your case and determine whether you have a valid legal claim. Here are some of the signs indicating you should consider speaking to Florida birth injury attorneys.

Your Child Suffered Permanent Damage or Injury During Birth

During the birth process, your child may sustain permanent damage due to negligence by medical professionals. For example, a doctor or nurse may mishandle your baby during labor and cause spinal cord injuries. 

If a physician's actions lead to permanent damage during birth, a lawyer for birth injury can investigate what happened and prove that medical errors led to your child's injuries. They may prove that the doctor didn't exercise proper care during delivery.

Preventable Mistakes Were Made During the Delivery Process

Birth injuries are preventable. Negligence or recklessness by medical professionals or hospitals may lead to preventable mistakes during the delivery process. Improper fetal monitoring, improper use of vacuum extractors and forceps, or failure to provide a timely cesarean delivery (C-section) may result in birth injuries. 

Unfortunately, the results of these mistakes can be devastating. They may lead to permanent disabilities, affecting your child's entire life. When this happens, a birth injury attorney can obtain your child's medical records and work with neuroradiologists, neurologists, labor nurses, therapists, child development specialists, obstetricians, forensics experts, and life care planners to identify delivery mistakes and determine the exact cause of your child's birth injury.

Doctors Failed to Meet the Standards of Care Required During the Birthing Process

During delivery, doctors must meet accepted standards of care to minimize medical errors that may cause birth injuries. A doctor shouldn't delay delivery and endanger the life of the mother and child. They should do their best to ensure the delivery process is smooth for the mother and baby.

If a doctor fails to meet accepted standards of medical care, you may file a birth injury claim to receive financial compensation. For example, if a doctor applies too much pressure to remove a baby from the birth canal, they may injure the mother and child. A baby may sustain head injuries after excessive stress during delivery.

Quality of Life Was Impacted or Your Child Suffered Developmental Delays

Birth injuries can lead to developmental delays in children. These delays may impact a child's cognitive, physical, communication, behavioral, emotional, or social skills. Often, developmental delays impact more than one area of a baby's development. 

For example, a child may experience motor delays after a birth injury. They may have a hard time coordinating large muscle groups, such as those in the legs or arms. Birth injuries may make it difficult for a child to hold onto small objects, like toys. They may also have a hard time doing simple tasks such as brushing their teeth.

In the event of a head injury during a child's birth, their cognitive abilities may take a hit. A child may experience speech delays, have trouble identifying colors, or have difficulty understanding words or concepts as a result.

If your child's quality of life is affected due to their birth injury, you should seek legal counsel from a birth injury lawyer. A lawyer will investigate your case and determine whether a medical professional's negligence is to blame for your child's injuries. 

Examples of Birth-Related Injuries

Sometimes during the birth process, a child may suffer a physical injury. Such birth trauma can lead to lifelong injuries and cause many other medical complications. Regrettably, many of these injuries are preventable. If medical professionals exercised proper care during delivery, many birth injuries would never occur. 

Here are some of the common injuries that occur during childbirth.

Brachial Plexus Injuries

Brachial plexus birth injury is an injury to the plexus nerves that branch off from the spinal cord in the neck and torso section. These injuries can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the hand and arm. 

The causes of brachial plexus birth injuries may include:

  • High birth weight
  • Prolonged labor
  • Multiple pregnancies
  • Breech birth
  • Forceps-assisted delivery

Spinal Cord Injuries and Brain Damage

Neonatal spinal cord injury can happen during a difficult delivery. The exact symptoms depend on the severity and location of the injury. Some of the signs to watch out for include:

  • Breathing difficulties
  • Lack of reflexes
  • Inability to move
  • Loss of bladder and bowel function
  • Spasms

Oxygen deprivation during childbirth may lead to brain damage. Prolonged pressure on the child's skull from the mother's birth canal or medical instruments may cause brain damage. Bleeding, fluid buildup, and swelling in the brain may also lead to brain damage.

Other types of birth-related injuries include:

  • Facial nerve injury
  • Intracranial hemorrhage
  • Damage to blood vessels
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Subconjunctival hemorrhage

Hire an Experienced Birth Injury Lawyer To Get the Financial Compensation You Deserve

If you believe that your child was injured during labor, you should contact experienced birth injury attorneys as soon as possible. You have the right to file an insurance claim against a negligent doctor or hospital. A lawyer for birth injury can help you recover compensation that covers your medical bills, lost wages, loss of enjoyment of life, future medical treatment costs, and permanent disabilities.

At Ratzan Weissman & Boldt, our birth injury attorneys are ready to discuss your legal options. We will answer any questions that you may have about your case. Contact us today to find out if you have a valid legal claim.