Giving birth is already a stressful, painful experience. You hope that all the pain is worth it so that you can leave the hospital with your happy and healthy newborn. However, that’s not always the case. If something goes wrong unexpectedly or the doctor in charge of your delivery makes a mistake, then your child could suffer from birth injuries.
When this happens, you will likely want to recover damages for the mistake that caused injury to your baby. A Philadelphia birth injury lawyer from Shrager, Sachs, & Blanco is committed to helping your family get justice. We’ll protect your rights and fight to get you the compensation you deserve for your baby’s injuries.
Signs of Birth Injuries
As a parent, you might worry that something bad will happen to your baby during birth, but for the most part, you likely expect it to go smoothly. So when something bad does happen, like a birth injury, you might be in shock and not even know what to look for to spot if your baby suffered injuries. What’s concerning about harm during the birth process is that the damage could affect your child for the rest of their life.
You’ll want to ensure that you spot a birth injury as quickly as possible so that it can be diagnosed and treated promptly. Here are some signs to look for after giving birth that could mean your child was injured during before, during, or after delivery:
- Bruises or Swelling. If your baby’s face, head, or shoulders have unusual bruising or swelling after being delivered, they could have suffered an injury from being mishandled or from delivery tools being misused.
- Seizures. While seizures could be caused by a pre-existing condition that your baby developed in the womb, if they occur immediately after birth, they could be a sign of an injury that occurred during delivery. This could point to a head injury or damage to the nervous system that was caused by a negligent doctor.
- CPR. If your baby required CPR or help breathing with a breathing tube directly after being delivered, then that could be a sign that a birth injury occurred.
- Not Breathing. Other than a breathing tube being needed, your baby might also be struggling to breathe right after being born. If your baby isn’t breathing when they’re born, it could be caused by an injury they sustained during the birthing process.
- Limp Limbs. When a nerve is pinched during birth, a baby could suffer from limp limbs. This is most common with a baby’s arm because their shoulder is compressed and injured during birth. If you notice that one of your baby’s limbs are limp, or their muscles aren’t as dense in one limb compared to the other, it could be the fault of the doctor who delivered your baby.
While these signs don’t always point to birth injuries, you can never be too careful. These injuries could affect your child for the rest of their lives, which is why you’ll want to spot any harm they might have suffered right away. Even if the injury cannot be completely undone, immediate treatment and awareness can help reverse as much damage done as possible.
What Effects Could a Birth Injury Have
If your child suffers from a birth injury and doesn’t get the help they need right away, then there could be lasting effects. Even if they didn’t immediately show signs after birth, they could still develop symptoms later in their life. It’s important to remain vigilant so that you can get your child help as soon as you notice that they might have suffered from an injury during birth.
Depending on the severity of the injury that your child endured, they could have damage that lasts for their entire life. This could cause disorders like cerebral palsy and Erb’s palsy. This could change the course of your life as a parent as well because while you’ll be adjusting to life caring for your child with birth injuries, you’ll likely also have more medical bills and treatment costs to pay for as a result.
You might even become your child’s caretaker and be unable to return to work. This could lead to lost wages and diminished income because you have more important things to care about—taking care of your child. If a doctor’s negligence was the cause of your child’s birth injury that affected the rest of their lives, then you deserve justice.
Shrager, Sachs, & Blanco Is Here for You
When a birth injury happens that causes partial or permanent damage to your child, it can sometimes be treated but isn’t always able to be reversed. While filing a claim can’t undo what was done to your baby, it can get you justice for their injuries and allow you to recover financially for what you’ve gone through.
At Shrager, Sachs, & Blanco, our Philadelphia birth injury lawyer will fully investigate what happened to your child and calculate how much you’re owed for your damages. Reach out to our office today so we can get started fighting for your family as soon as possible.
