A new study by Canadian researchers suggests that genetics may play a more significant role in the origins of cerebral palsy than experts previously thought. Researchers from Sick Kids Hospital in Canada and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center have found that at least one in 10 cases of cerebral palsy has...
A new study has found that expectant mothers living close to hydraulic fracturing wells are more likely to experience high-risk pregnancies or deliver prematurely. Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, involves drilling into the earth and pumping water, chemicals and sand to release the natural gas inside. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of...
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...
A family was awarded more than $4.8 million in a medical malpractice case arising from a birth injury that occurred over a decade ago. Guerline Cherenfant Jean, Loheirson Jean and their 14-year-old daughter filed the lawsuit in 2004 against a Fort Lauderdale midwife and doctor. Circuit Judge Michele Towbin Singer presided over the five-day trial...
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...
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...
Lawsuit alleges negligence in causing Erb’s palsy
The parents of a baby born in 2013 filed an Erb’s palsy lawsuit alleging that their infant son will suffer neurological damage and be disabled for the rest of his life due to the negligence of physicians and the attending midwife at his birth, at Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida. The birth injury lawsuit...
What to Do (and Not to Do) If Your Child is Having a Seizure
When a child is having a seizure, it’s an extremely frightening experience for a parent. It’s important to know what to do should your child have a seizure so you can avoid panic and foster a quick recovery. Possible Causes of Seizure When children have seizures, many parents automatically assume the cause is epilepsy. But...
The Many Types of Florida Birth Injuries and the Laws that Protect Victims
Many Florida parents have had their life changed in the blink of an eye when their babies suffered birth injuries at the hands of negligent medical doctors. What once was a happy occasion turned into a traumatic situation and medical emergency. When an expectant mother goes into labor, she is thinking about the excitement of...
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,...
Can epidurals be harmful for babies?
Epidurals have become a common method for managing pain during labor and delivery. Over half of all pregnant women in the United States choose to receive the injections for pain relief during childbirth. An epidural injection is a regional anesthesia administered intravenously around the lower spinal cord area. It is popular because it can help...
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...
Is My Doctor Responsible for Erb’s Palsy?
A doctor may be responsible for Erb’s palsy in cases of medical negligence. The doctor’s error could occur during prenatal care, labor or delivery. Additionally, a failure to diagnose and begin treatment for Erb’s palsy may signal negligence. Parents may pursue compensation in a birth injury claim stemming from a doctor’s mistake. Compensation can address...
Is Erb’s Palsy Curable?
There is no one single cure for Erb’s palsy. The likelihood of recovery depends on the severity of the underlying injury. Proper medical and therapeutic care may remedy the effects of the injury or lessen the long-term impact. Unfortunately, the effects may be permanent in the most severe cases of nerve damage. Common Erb’s Palsy...
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...
What is Erb’s Palsy?
Erb’s palsy is a condition that is caused by an injury to the brachial plexus, which consists of the nerves around the shoulder. Erb’s palsy is also referred to as brachial palsy, Erb-Duchenned paralysis or Klumpke paralysis. The condition differs from other kinds of palsy, and is marked by frailty or lack of movement in...
The Connection Between Erb’s Palsy and Shoulder Dystocia
When a mother hears that her newborn baby suffered a birth injury, she is often not prepared for this news and doesn’t know much about birth injuries. So, when a mother hears the terms Erb’s palsy and shoulder dystocia used after her baby is born, she needs to understand the connections between the two birth...
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....