A West Palm Beach, Florida, couple has filed a birth injury lawsuit against an obstetrician who they claim caused their son’s cerebral palsy by choosing to extract him with a vacuum pump instead of allowing a natural delivery. The boy, now 16 years old, was born with the condition on March 6, 1998, and currently...
Brain damage is among the most serious birth injuries a baby can suffer. It can be caused by head trauma during the delivery process due to oxygen deprivation and decreased blood flow to the baby’s brain. Brain trauma can affect a child’s ability to grow and develop normally, impacting their entire life. A new study...
A Miami, Florida, woman was awarded $23 million in damages by a Charlotte County Circuit Court jury for medical malpractice that resulted in her premature daughter being born with severe brain damage and cerebral palsy. The mother visited her obstetrician in 2010 when she was pregnant with her first child. At 24 weeks of pregnancy,...
The Florida Supreme Court is assessing a cerebral palsy lawsuit that has raised questions about whether there should be caps on attorney fees in birth injury cases. The case involves a child diagnosed with a debilitating form of cerebral palsy that has left him wheelchair-bound and in need of constant care. The child’s mother alleged...
Cerebral palsy is one of the most common conditions that can be caused by birth injuries, occurring in 2.1 of every 1,000 live births. When it occurs as the result of negligence on the part of medical personnel, the parents may be entitled to compensation through a birth injury lawsuit filed against the medical providers....
Pregnant women may sometimes require assisted delivery through the use of medical instruments to help the baby’s passage through the birth canal. In such cases, the doctor uses either a vacuum device or forceps to aid childbirth. An assisted delivery may be necessary if the mother is undergoing a lengthy, difficult labor and is too...
Simulation manikins gain popularity as medical training tool
Simulation using manikins is becoming an integral part of medical training around the country to help improve the quality of care for patients. Research indicates that simulated learning environments contribute to preparing medical staff for emergencies, enhance their skills and allow them to practice rarely used procedures. In addition, simulator training is credited with reducing...
Qualifications Of A Birth Injury Lawyer
What lawyer qualifications should I look for if I’m pursuing a birth injury case? Past experience with similar cases is one of the most important lawyer qualifications to look for when hiring an attorney. This means an attorney who’s handled similar birth injury cases is typically the best suited to handle an Erb’s palsy case,...
Did Your Florida Doctor Deliver Your Infant Using Vacuum Extraction?
As an expectant mother, you most likely learned how to breathe properly during childbirth by attending a Lamaze class. Or you may have learned hypnosis childbirth to enter into a hypnotic state in order to deal with the pain of a natural childbirth. Whatever you learned and prepared for may be different than what actually...
Parents Corner
As parent’s ourselves we understand what a responsibility parents carry to keep their children safe. Children and their safety is always top priority. As a service to our clients and other parents, we have created this section to offer advice to help. Over the last thirty years, we have learned tips to avoid some of...
Erb’s Palsy Explained
Erb’s Palsy, which is also referred to as brachial plexus birth palsy, is a type of obstetric brachial plexus injury that can occur due to complications at the time of delivery. The brachial plexus is a system of spinal nerves that convey messages from the spine to the shoulders, arms and hands. The most typical...
St. Mary’s Medical Center Under Investigation For High Infant Mortality Rate
In June 2015, The Federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launched an investigation into the unusually high mortality rate among infants who underwent open heart surgery between 2011 and 2013 at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. The investigation was triggered by a CNN report which stated that 12.5% of infant...
What Are Some Types of Palsy Resulting from Birth Injuries in Infants?
What Are Some Types of Palsy Resulting from Birth Injuries in Infants? Injury during the birthing process can lead to certain types of palsy including: Erb’s: A type of paralysis from injury to the arm’s upper nerves. Klumpke’s: A type of paralysis from damage to the forearm or hand. Brachial Plexus: Injury of the spinal...
What is the burden of proof in an Erb’s palsy case in Florida?
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...
What Can I Expect in the First Year of Erb’s Palsy?
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...
What You Should Know About Filing A Birth Injury Lawsuit?
If your child has suffered a birth injury due to the negligence of doctors or medical staff, you may be considering taking legal action to pursue fair compensation for medical expenses. Birth injuries can have a lasting impact on your child’s life and will likely require constant medical care. There are a number of important...
What Are Some Examples Of Birth Trauma Injuries?
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....
What are Some Common Birth Injuries Associated with C-Sections?
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...