New Orleans birth injuries remain an all too common occurrence. While childbirth is a complicated event and some birth injuries are unavoidable, when a baby is injured as a result of the negligence of the medical personnel overseeing the birth, the family is entitled to pursue compensation.
Unfortunately, many of the devastating injuries that occur during birth can be difficult to diagnose and may have causes aside from inadequate care during the birthing process. For example, cerebral palsy – a muscle disorder affecting muscle tone, posture, and movement – may be caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain or traumatic head injury during birth. It may also be caused by random gene mutations that are completely unrelated to any physical trauma.
The fact that many types of birth injury are not evident immediately after delivery further complicates claims regarding a birth injury. While some cases may involve physical signs of injury – such as cuts or bruises, the rapid onset of seizures, or unexplained limpness and lack of muscle tone – other birth injury symptoms may not appear until months or even years later. Such symptoms include failure to develop proper muscle coordination or a delay in reaching developmental milestones such as sitting up, rolling over, and crawling.
If you think your child has suffered a birth injury, you should consult a physician who can determine the accuracy of your suspicions. Given the complications that may arise in such cases, you should also be sure to consult a personal injury attorney experienced in handling birth injury cases if you wish to pursue financial compensation for the injury to your child.
If you have any questions regarding the right to pursue compensation for a birth injury, we would be happy to help you. Please call us at (504) 581-6411.