Suffolk County Birth Injury Lawyer

At Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC, our Suffolk County Birth Injury Lawyer team says that birth injury primarily occurs as a child is passing through the mother’s birth canal. Most children typically receive minor injuries during childbirth, such as bruising or swelling. These minor forms of birth injury usually heal without the need for additional medical treatment. An injury, such as permanent brain injury and nerve damage can happen in some cases. Additionally, these injuries are preventable with appropriate medical attention and medical technology. Our team has also found that many types of birth injury are due to medical malpractice, which is why it's vital to contact our Staten Island Birth Injury Lawyer staff if you believe your child's birth injury was caused by a doctor's negligence or carelessness.

As stated, most types of birth injury are minor; however, there are serious forms of birth injury that can affect children, such as, cerebral palsy, Klumpke's Palsy, shoulder dystocia, Horner's Syndrome and Erb's Palsy. These types of birth injury can be caused by a number of childbirth situations; however, our Suffolk County Birth Injury Lawyer team has learned that cases involving a larger than normal fetus or smaller than normal birth canal are among the most common cause. In addition, a child that is abnormally positioned in the uterus can present complications that may lead to serious birth injury. An alert doctor or obstetrician will be aware of risky situations and know how to proceed so that the child and the mother are safe throughout the birthing process. If you believe that your child failed to receive proper attention and care during your pregnancy, please contact our Suffolk County Birth Injury Lawyer group at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC to find out what legal options are open to you.

Our Suffolk County Birth Injury Lawyer team has learned that birth injury can range in severity from minor brain contusions to spinal injury or even a wrongful death. As the fetus usually enters the birth canal head first, there is a potential for complications, which in turn can cause traumatic birth injury. This happens because the skull is still soft, allowing the head to be prone to injury due to the extreme pressures placed on it during childbirth.

When a delivery is difficult, either because of a larger than normal fetus or smaller than normal birth canal, a doctor may have to employ instruments, like forceps or vacuum extractors, in order to help the child along. Improper use of these tools can cause serious head injury, brain injury, skull fracture, intracranial hemorrhage and brain damage. These injuries can be minor, as is the case of a skull fracture with no bone displacement, or serious, as is the case with a depressed skull fracture that will require surgery. Our Suffolk County Birth Injury Lawyer staff knows that babies suffering from these serious types of head injury will have to be closely monitored to ensure their recovery. If your child suffered a serious birth injury, head injury or brain damage due to a difficult delivery, contact our Suffolk County Birth Injury Lawyer staff to discuss your legal avenues.

A newborn may also suffer from prenatal asphyxia during a difficult delivery. This is a condition that happens when the baby fails to receive the proper amount of oxygen because the blood flow has been cut off. Prenatal asphyxia is often caused by infections, but can also be caused by over exposure to labor drugs or clotting in the umbilical cord.

A large infant delivery can cause a brachial plexus nerve injury. If the child has difficulty coming through the birth canal, some doctors may pull on the infant’s arms. Excessive pulling can result in damage to the nerves in the shoulders, which is a brachial plexus injury. While this type of injury often heals in several months, in more severe cases it can require surgery. The effects of brachial plexus injury can be numerous, according to our Suffolk County Birth Injury Lawyer group, and include: decrease in stamina and strength in the hands or arms, reduced mobility, joint dysfunction or scoliosis. In certain cases, a nerve replacement will be necessary in order to restore proper function. According to our experienced Suffolk County Birth Injury Lawyer team, brachial plexus injury can also lead to Erb's Palsy, Horner's Syndrome and Klumpke's Palsy.

According to our Suffolk County Birth Injury Lawyer team’s research, one out of every five hundred kids suffer from cerebral palsy. There are many symptoms associated with cerebral palsy, but commonly, it can be identified by impaired motor function and overall physical impairment. The degree of the brain damage will usually determine the extent of the cerebral palsy. In many cases, it is caused by mistakes made during childbirth; mistakes like improper use of instruments, trauma and lack of oxygen.

If you or someone you know is suffering from the effects of a birth injury, contact our experienced New York Injury Lawyer staff at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC to discuss your legal options. Contact us at 800.696.9529, online or contact one of our New York City offices in Manhattan, Staten Island, Queens, the Bronx or Brooklyn, our New York office in Westchester County or one of our Long Island offices in Nassau County or Suffolk County.