Birth injuries are alarmingly common in Chicago and throughout Illinois. If you suspect your infant or child suffered a birth injury, here’s how to protect your child’s health and your legal rights.
Look for Common Signs of Birth Injury in a Newborn
Understanding the common signs of birth injuries can help you determine if your child needs additional treatment and if you should consult a birth injury lawyer. Some common signs to watch for include the following:
- Bruises or Forceps Marks – Doctors sometimes use forceps during labor and delivery to extract a child from the mother’s womb, but they must be careful to avoid injuring the child when they do so. Any bruises on a baby’s body are a possible sign of improper use of forceps.
- Facial Paralysis – Babies may experience partial facial paralysis (meaning their facial nerves and muscles do not respond when they are supposed to) if they have pressure on their faces during labor and delivery. Facial paralysis can also result from improper use of forceps.
- Broken Bones – Broken bones in newborns commonly result from improper care or when doctors use too much force during labor and delivery.
- Brachial Palsy – A brachial palsy injury occurs when a group of nerves in a baby’s shoulder (called the brachial plexus) is damaged during labor and delivery. This often happens if a baby’s shoulder becomes lodged against its mother’s pubic bone during delivery and doctors are not careful when dislodging the baby.
- Low Birth Weight – A low birth weight may indicate that a mother did not receive proper care during pregnancy. While birth weights vary significantly among individual babies, an abnormally low birth weight is cause for concern.
Seek Medical Treatment from a New Doctor and Get a Diagnosis
The next step after identifying possible birth injury symptoms is to see a new doctor and tell them about the signs you observed. Your new doctor will likely perform additional tests to confirm or rule out a birth injury diagnosis. If the second doctor confirms your suspicions, talk to a lawyer immediately.
Take Detailed Notes
If a second doctor confirms your child sustained a birth injury, it is vital to document their condition thoroughly. Write down anything you remember about your pregnancy and delivery, what your doctors and nurses did during delivery, any comments by your healthcare team, and when you noticed symptoms in your child. It is also vital to write down everything you can about how your child’s birth injuries affect their development and daily life.
Contact an Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorney
It is understandable to feel anxious and wonder what to do after a birth injury. The Chicago birth injury lawyers at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. have helped children with birth injuries and their families recover millions in compensation. Throughout the past 40+ years, we have recovered over $2.5 billion for our clients, including birth injury jury verdicts of $75.859 million and $50.3 million. We can handle all the legal aspects of your case, allowing you to focus on treating your child’s injuries and spending quality time with them. Call now or complete our contact form for a free consultation.
