Although a birth injury can occur through means other than negligence, birth injuries such as Erb's palsy, cerebral palsy, and brain injury can also be the result of medical malpractice on the part of the doctor, nurse, or other health care professional. Medical malpractice attorneys can help victims of medical negligence file a lawsuit and seek entitled damages.

Causes of Birth Injury

There are several complications that can lead to birth injury:

• Kidney or urinary tract infections in the mother during pregnancy can go undetected and lead to trauma to the fetus.
• The shortage of oxygen to the brain that occurs when the umbilical cord wrapped around the infant's neck during delivery can cause brain damage if undetected by medical professionals.
• Shoulder dystocia - a condition in which the infant's shoulder is caught behind the mother's pelvic bone. Shoulder dystocia can cause a shortage of oxygen to the infant's brain. In addition, if the doctor does not correctly treat shoulder dystocia during birth, it can lead to injury and a condition known as Erb's palsy, a paralysis or weakness of the arm. Damage to the brachial plexus, a group of nerves leading from the spinal cord to the shoulder, arms, and wrist can occur during birth, resulting in injury. The nerves can be damaged due to excessive stretching during birth, causing Erb's palsy.

Types of Birth Injury

Two kinds of birth injury that often result from complications during birth are, as mentioned above, Erb's palsy and cerebral palsy. These two conditions can usually be avoided with proper medical care. In cases where this type of birth injury occurs due to medical negligence, the parents of the child have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit.

If your child suffers from a birth injury such as cerebral palsy or Erb's palsy, you may want to contact a birth injury attorney for information specific to your case.