A Florida Birth Injury Can Lead to Facial Paralysis

Most of the time, a child's birth is a happy and safe occasion punctuated by a new addition to your family. Other times, however, negligence on the part of doctors or nurses can lead to a Florida birth injury, which can have long-lasting effects for you and your child.

One type of Florida birth injury that can easily occur is facial paralysis. Facial paralysis occurs when nerves are damaged in the newborn during the delivery, inhibiting their ability to normally control the muscles in their face. This lack of control can subside quickly or last for the rest of their lives.

Complications in delivery can occur as a result of:
• Large babies
• Long labor
• Use of medications or anesthesia

When a delivery runs into complications, the doctors and nurses who are present may take steps to help the mother and newborn. These procedures, such as using forceps to speed up the delivery, can put pressure on the child's body, causing the type of nerve injuries that cause facial paralysis.

While doctors and nurses are highly-trained and almost always have the best interests of your family at heart, they can make mistakes. If their negligence leads to the long-term injury of your child, you may have a legal case to ensure your family receives the financial compensation it needs to treat and cope with the injury.

A Florida birth injury lawyer may be able to tell you more about how you can proceed on this type of case. The damages you can recover from a legal settlement or verdict can include your medical bills, ongoing care or physical therapy, related costs, and instances of pain or emotional difficulty.

Call the Florida birth injury attorneys at Chalik & Chalik today to learn more about your legal rights. We have offices over all of South Florida, serving Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County, Brevard County, Indian River County, St. Lucie County, Martin County, Okeechobee County, and Volusia County.