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A study from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada has found that births performed at home with the help of a midwife are less costly than hospital deliveries and are equally safe for low-risk births. The researchers examined home births by registered midwives in British Columbia over a four-year period. They found that...

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...

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...

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...

The Florida Supreme Court permitted a family to resume their birth injury claim against the University of Miami (UM). According to the Florida Record, the parents of a child who is currently age 17 filed a lawsuit against UM, alleging that at the time of his delivery at Jackson North Maternity Center in Miami-Dade County,...

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...

Infants are more susceptible to head injury than adults given that their heads are proportionately bigger and they have yet to develop the muscles and coordination that adults have. While most head injuries in infants are minor, serious brain injuries can occur in traumatic accidents and during complicated births. Causes of Infant Brain Injury Infants,...

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.

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,...

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...

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...

In this month’s Florida Injury Report, we look at the five most preventable Fort Lauderdale birth injuries. [powerpress]  

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

First it is important to note that not all birth injuries are caused by medical malpractice, so not every injury is grounds for a lawsuit. However, there are several types of birth injuries that are often caused by mistakes on the part of doctors or other medical personnel. When that is the case, the families...