A new study has found that cerebral palsy occurs mostly due to prenatal factors such as birth defects rather than birth asphyxia and other potential causes often thought to be responsible. The research was published in the September 3 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health and...
A Florida couple filed a personal injury lawsuit against pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) on Nov. 6. They alleged that their son suffered birth injuries after his mother was prescribed Zofran, a GSK drug, during her pregnancy. The lawsuit claims negligence and intentional misrepresentation on GSK’s part, among other charges. The couple is seeking compensatory and...
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,...
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...
Health experts are urging pregnant women to eat healthy and exercise in order to combat obesity and reduce the pregnancy risks associated with it. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), more than 50 percent of the nation’s childbearing-age women are obese, overweight or have chronic diseases when becoming pregnant. Obese women...
Researchers in England have found that babies born during weekends have a slightly higher risk of dying within their first seven days in comparison to those born on weekdays. Imperial College London scientists analyzed 1.3 million births across English National Health Service hospitals between April 2010 and March 2012. Their findings showed the death rate...
Exercising with a Child Who Has Erb’s Palsy
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...
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{e34d3beb2b85e350823eb1a18187f12a03ef4c54a5ddaeb3c566e83c49fd1d77} of infant...
Doctor’s Blaming Mothers for Birth Injuries – Know Your Rights
It is not unheard of for a doctor to blame a mother for her child’s birth injury. This is why it is so important for parents of injured children to understand their rights in a birth injury claim. An attorney can act as an advocate for the mother and injured child, fighting to represent the...
Debi Chalik Explains Brachial Plexus Palsy Birth Injury
A Brachial plexus injury, also known as Brachial plexus palsy, is an injury that occurs during the delivery of a newborn when the head and shoulder are abnormally stretched, damaging the nerves of the shoulder. This birth injury may cause your newborn’s arm to lay limp or have limited mobility in the shoulder and/or hand....
C-section: When It’s Needed & Possible Complications
A Cesarean birth is a major medical procedure performed on a pregnant woman who cannot give birth vaginally. It means the baby will be delivered by surgery, via an incision across the belly and uterus, rather than vaginally. When a C-section May Be Necessary C-sections are done because of pregnancy complications or because of complications...
Birth injury lawsuit filed by Florida parents
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...
Can I file a birth injury lawsuit for Erb’s Palsy?
Erb’s palsy can be the basis for a birth injury lawsuit. Erb’s palsy is one kind of brachial plexus palsy. It is a paralysis of the arm caused by an injury to the brachial plexus, a network of nerves in the neck that leads to nerves in the arm. Erb’s palsy causes lack of motion...
Can You Seek Monetary Compensation If Your Child Suffers Cerebral Palsy During Birth?
You may be eligible to seek monetary compensation if your child suffers cerebral palsy during birth. We must demonstrate that another party was at fault for the mistakes that led to cerebral palsy. Liability For the Damages and Costs Cerebral palsy is among the most common birth injuries . Anyone who is at fault for...
What Are Your Legal Options When Your Baby Suffers Birth Injuries In Florida?
Your legal options when your baby suffers birth injuries in Florida may include filing a medical malpractice lawsuit for the injuries depending on the circumstances of your case. You might be eligible for compensation if medical malpractice is to blame for your newborn’s birthing injuries. Examples of Medical Malpractice There are many things that can lead to...
Should I Hire A Birth Injury Attorney?
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...
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...
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....