Staten Island Birth Injury

A birth injury occurs when the baby is injured during the delivery process. While birth injuries can be minor, requiring little or no medical intervention, far too often birth injuries are severe, leaving the baby with significant lifelong difficulties. Many birth injuries occur because of a mistake made by a doctor, nurse or other medical professional. For example, in some cases the injury occurs because the obstetrician fails to diagnose and properly treat a dangerous condition such as preeclampsia. In other cases mistakes are made during labor and delivery because the doctor failed to monitor the baby. When a baby is born with significant injuries, the family is devastated with concern for the baby's future. The family is also faced with significant medical bill that may last for years into the future. If the birth injury was caused by the negligence of a medical professional, then the law allows you to seek compensation that will help pay for both past and future medical bills. If your child has suffered a birth injury as a result of a medical misdiagnosis or some other type of medical malpractice, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced Staten Island birth injury lawyer who will help you pursue compensation for your child's injuries including compensation for medical expenses.

Common types of birth injuries

While there are several different types of birth injuries that can occur due to the negligence of an obstetrician, gynecologist, anesthesiologist, nurse or other heath care provider, some of the common types of birth injuries include:

• Brachial plexus injury. This type of birth injury affects the nerves related to the shoulder, arms, hands and fingers such that the baby may be born with partial paralysis in the arms, hands or fingers.
• Anoxic brain damage. This type of birth injury leads to brain damage. Typically it occurs because of a failure to perform a timely c-section, a placenta rupture, umbilical cord compression, or the negligent use of labor inducing drugs.
• Erb's palsy. Erb's palsy is a weakness or paralysis in a shoulder or arm due to nerve damage during delivery. It is often the result of a brachial plexus injury.
• Cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is caused by an injury to the brain during pregnancy or labor that leads to a loss of control over muscles resulting in curvature of the spine, speech problems, incontinence and mobility problems.

Common causes of birth injuries

Birth injuries are frequently caused by negligence on the part of a doctor or other health care provider.

• Administering the wrong medication during labor
• Failing to properly monitor fetus resulting in a failure to treat a condition
• Failing to administer appropriate tests during pregnancy resulting in a failure to diagnose or treatment a condition
• Failing to timely perform c-section when baby is distress resulting irreversible injury to the baby and the mother
• Negligent use of extractor, vacuum or forceps during delivery, leading to injuries to the head or face
• Failure to diagnose umbilical cord problems, leading to deprivation of oxygen and other injuries to the baby
• Failure to respond to bleeding during delivery

Pursuing compensation for a birth injury

If you suspect that your baby's medical condition was caused because a doctor, nurse, or some other medical professional was negligent, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. New York law allows injured victims to seek damages by filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against the medical staff whose negligence led to your child's condition. A birth injury lawyer serving clients in Staten Island will help you collected damages such as past and future medical expenses; lost income and loss of income potential; and physical pain and emotional suffering

Sadly, many medical mistakes during the labor and delivery are fatal. If your baby passed away as a result of a birth injury, you may be entitled to compensation based on a wrongful death lawsuit.

Contact the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates

Birth injuries can leave a family emotionally and financially devastated. Learning that the condition was preventable and caused by the errors of healthcare workers only adds to the emotional pain. If you suspect that your child's medical problems were caused by an error by a medical professional, you have the right to demand compensation through a medical malpractice claim. Contact a birth injury attorney in Staten Island at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates to discuss the details of your case. Our staff is experienced in handling claims from people injured due to the mistake of a healthcare worker. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.

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