Common Types Of Birth Injuries
The birth of a child should be one of the happiest experiences of a parent’s life, yet for some families it is fraught with tragedy. When a mistake is made during birth, the consequences can affect the child for the rest of his or her life. These types of mistakes are often the result of negligence by a doctor, nurse or another health care professional. You need to take action.
At Gill Ports, Ltd., a Chicago medical malpractice law firm, we are committed to providing zealous representation to the families and children affected by a variety of birth injuries, including:
- Cerebral palsy: A group of neurological disorders caused by injury to the brain, which affects body movement and muscle coordination
- Erb’s palsy or brachial plexus palsy: Damage to a group of nerves near the shoulder that controls the movement of the arm and hand, resulting in weakness, numbness or paralysis
- Facial paralysis: Damage to the seventh cranial nerve, which controls facial movement, resulting in permanent facial paralysis
We represent the families of infants suffering from oxygen deprivation (hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy), brain injuries, shoulder dystocia fractures and other injuries. Often, these injuries are caused by the improper use of forceps and vacuums, failure to monitor and delayed delivery. We also take cases involving complications from jaundice.
View our representative birth injury cases.
Risk Factors For A Birth Injury
Any serious trauma that affects a mother or infant can increase the chance that a newborn will suffer from a birth injury. Risk factors for birth injuries may include:
- Late or variable decelerations on electronic fetal monitoring
- Breech birth (during which a newborn is born feet first, rather than head first)
- Fetal infections
- Maternal infections
- Premature birth (born before 37 weeks)
- Low birth weight (less than 5.5 lbs.)
- Prolapsed umbilical cord
- Nuchal cord
Our dedicated attorneys conduct thorough investigations into birth injuries, consulting with respected experts in the medical field to build persuasive cases that can stand the test of trial.
A birth injury can cause lifelong consequences and require continued treatment and care. At Gill Ports, Ltd., we can’t turn back the clock, but we can help you secure the compensation you need to provide the best possible life for your child.
Contact Our Attorneys For Help After A Hospital Accident
To schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced birth injuries lawyer, contact Gill Ports, Ltd., at 312-638-2407 or by email.
Based in Chicago, we represent clients throughout Illinois.