Westchester County Birth Injury Lawyer

At Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC, our Westchester Birth Injury Lawyer team defines a birth injury as any kind of injury that occurs during childbirth, with most injury occurring as the fetus moves through the birth canal. Our team has learned that birth injury is fairly typical, and that while most injuries are minor, there are serious forms of birth injury that can impact the child for life. These serious forms of birth injury can range from spinal injury to brain injury and even wrongful death.

Oftentimes, birth injury is the result of negligence on the part of the medical staff. The negligence can take the form of a doctor failing to respond to a hemorrhage, failing to anticipate complications, failing to recognize the signs of infant distress or excessive use of labor or pain drugs. In most instances, experienced obstetricians will be alerted to these dangers and know how to proceed so that the safety of the child is assured. If you think that your delivery was not conducted properly or that there was negligence on the part of your medical team, call our Westchester Birth Injury Lawyer group to find out about filing a medical malpractice claim against the doctors responsible for your treatment.

Ideally, during childbirth, the baby will travel through the birth canal head first. Because of the tremendous pressures associated with birth, and the fact that the child's skull is relatively soft, the baby can suffer a head injury. Minor bruising or swelling happens all the time and will generally heal without the need for further medical intervention. However, when the delivery becomes complicated because of a large fetus or small birth canal, the doctor may have to use tools like vacuum extractors or forceps to aid the birth. Improper use of these tools can cause various forms of head injury, such as skull fracture, intracranial hemorrhage, brain swelling or subdural hematoma. Additionally, pressure from forceps or vacuum extractors can result in brain damage, seizures and wrongful death. If your child suffered any type of head injury during childbirth, please call our Westchester County Birth Injury Lawyer staff to find out what legal options you have.

There are many forms of serious birth injury, some of which include: cerebral palsy, Klumpke's Palsy, shoulder dystocia, Horner's Syndrome and Erb's Palsy. A child can suffer from prenatal asphyxia when vital tissues are not receiving enough oxygen because of reduced blood flow. Our Westchester County Birth Injury Lawyer group has found that most cases of prenatal asphyxia are caused by infection. Other causes include drug exposure, a sudden hemorrhage or clots in the umbilical cord. This type of birth injury can be severe enough to cause brain damage in newborns.

A newborn can also from a different type of birth injury called brachial plexus nerve injury. This occurs when the shoulder is over stretched because of excessive pulling on the child's arm in order to facilitate the birth. Brachial plexus injury can heal without medical treatment, but in a severe injury, surgery may be required to repair the damage. Brachial plexus injury can affect the muscles and nerves, which lead to decreased stamina and strength, joint dysfunction, loss of mobility, limb length discrepancy, decreased dexterity, Glenohumeral Dysplasia, osteoarthritis, scoliosis and muscle atrophy. In addition, contractures and scar tissue will likely develop without the proper type of therapy. The brachial plexus injury can also be a factor in the development of Klumpke's Palsy, Erb's Palsy and Horner's Syndrome.Another type of birth injury that can happen because of negligence is called cerebral palsy. This is a neurological disorder that is a result of brain damage that happens during delivery and childbirth. The severity of the cerebral palsy is directly affected by the extent of the brain damage, causing the symptoms to vary from case to case. However, common symptoms of cerebral palsy include a loss of mobility, scissor walking, seizures, developmental disorder, behavioral disorder, cognitive impairment and speech impediment. Exposure to certain drugs and/or improper use of medical equipment can also play a role in the development of cerebral palsy. While there is currently no cure for cerebral palsy, therapy can minimize the effects and maximize the quality of life for the victim.

A child suffering from cerebral palsy or any other traumatic birth injury will face harsh challenges ahead. In addition, families will have a heavy burden to carry both emotionally and financially when a child suffers from a life-altering birth injury. Our experienced Westchester County Birth Injury Lawyer team will retain experts in order to study your case and help determine who is liable. Our New York Injury Attorneys at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC can be essential in helping you and your family recovery from the financial damage and from ongoing medical expenses.

If you or someone you know is suffering from the effects of a birth injury, contact our experienced New York Birth Injury Lawyer team at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC to discuss your legal options. Please call 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.