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A recent study found that glyburide, a drug used to treat gestational diabetes, is associated with a number of serious birth complications. The drug, which has increased in use over the last decade, was associated with hypoglycemia, high birth weight, respiratory distress and birth injuries. In addition to being more likely to have complications, babies...

A jury rendered an award of $53 million to a 12-year-old boy who was born with a serious brain injury following 12 hours of fetal distress in the course of the delivery. The trial in the medical malpractice cased lasted one month, and was initiated in December 2013 by the boy’s guardian, who filed a...

Induced labor may help reduce the chances of shoulder dystocia for pregnant women giving birth to larger-than-average babies. Earlier in 2015, researchers at Geneva University Hospitals in Switzerland studied labor induction as an option to decrease the risk of shoulder dystocia during delivery. They found that one case of shoulder dystocia was prevented for every...

Florida hospitals have among the highest cesarean section rates for low-risk pregnancies for first-time mothers in the nation. Consumer Reports analyzed C-section data reported by more than 1200 hospitals across the country. They found C-section rates varied significantly among institutions and within the same communities. Low-risk pregnancies are defined as those in which the baby...

A federal birth injury lawsuit has been filed by a Florida mother whose baby suffered a brachial plexus injury during delivery. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida against the healthcare clinic where the baby was born. The lawsuit alleges that a certified nurse midwife (CNM) made several...

Doctors and hospitals are using past medical malpractice cases to avoid repeating mistakes that could put patients at risk and give rise to future claims. Shoulder dystocia was found to occur the most frequently among the birth injury lawsuits examined. According to The Wall Street Journal, malpractice insurers and medical specialty groups are analyzing thousands...

A birth injury lawsuit has been filed by a mother and father in Florida, alleging that their child sustained hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and other serious birth injuries. The parents, Jenifer and Sean Mochocki, filed the lawsuit March 25 in federal court in Jacksonville, Florida, against the United States of America, pursuant to the Federal Tort...

Florida birth injury lawyer Debi Chalik recently sat down with Jesse Wojdylo to discuss the basics of a birth injury, the signs a parent should look for in their newborn, and who to go to for advice and help in filing a birth injury lawsuit against the doctor or hospital.

The Florida Supreme Court in December 2015 decided not to hear a dispute over whether the University of Miami could be held liable for the actions of two physicians it employed through its medical school. The case concerned a baby who sustained a brain injury during delivery in 1998 at Jackson North Maternity Center in...

The United States has a high caesarean-section rate of 32.5 percent in comparison to the average of 28 percent among developed nations. The high rate has been controversial as the surgical procedure is not always medically necessary. While C-sections may be performed due to a woman’s personal preference, in some cases they are required for...

Cerebral palsy can occur because of a maternal illness during pregnancy or a disease obtained during infancy, but when cerebral palsy is caused by a medical mistake during the labor and delivery process, it is overwhelming to know that it could have been avoided. Sadly, cerebral palsy is not curable. When this Florida birth injury...

Erb’s palsy is a birth injury that limits a child’s ability to use the affected shoulder, arm and hand in a “typical” capacity. Medical professionals may advise a course of treatment that includes daily at-home exercises and prescribed movements. These are intended to help the child regain mobility, prevent atrophy and promote healing. Surgery may...

Trauma during the labor and delivery process can lead to either minor or severe birth injuries. These injuries might include: Broken or fractured bones Infections Cerebral Palsy Brain trauma Skin lacerations Brain swelling Lack of oxygen Neurological disorders Some of these birth injuries, like a lack of oxygen or bruising, may go away over time....

The burden of proof in an Erb’s palsy case dictates that a plaintiff – in this case, the injured child’s parents – must prove his or her case based on evidence presented. Essentially, this means the victim must prove the doctor or hospital was at fault versus the doctor or hospital proving they were not...

Parents of injured children often struggle with questions such as – Should I hire an attorney to pursue compensation in a birth injury claim? The answer depends on the extent and cause of the injury. An attorney can provide legal representation if a parent believes a doctor or hospital’s mistake caused a birth injury, such...

A birth injury can be devastating for the parents and have lifelong effects for the child. Many birth injuries lead to disabilities that require extensive care. In some cases, parents may wonder if a medical mistake was the cause of their child’s birth injury, but they are unsure how to proceed. Not every medical condition...

Some common birth injuries associated with C-sections include: Facial or body cuts Fractures Spinal cord injuries In addition to these common C-section birth injuries, other risks are present if the anesthesiologist did not administer the drug properly during a C-section delivery procedure. These potential injuries include low blood pressure, blood clots, and internal bleeding. There...

A new parent with a child diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury often wants to know, “What can I expect in the first year of Erb’s palsy?” The answer depends on the severity of the underlying nerve injury. Mild injuries may “self-resolve” with the passage of time and the use of physical therapy. More serious...