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A birth injury is an injury that takes place during the birthing process, and, due to the stress of labor, is not an uncommon complication. Many newborn babies have injuries at birth, although most injuries are mild. Sometimes there are more serious injuries, like damaged nerves or broken bones, but generally the injuries get better without treatment.
A New York Birth Injury Lawyer discussed how a difficult labor and delivery, where the baby is injured, usually takes place when the birth canal that the baby passes through is too small, or the baby is too large (which normally happens with gestational diabetes). If the baby is in an abnormal position, injury is more likely. Overall the amount of birth injuries have went down since previous decades due to improved prenatal testing and the availability of cesarean deliveries.
Head and brain injuries are one of the more common injuries, as the head is the first to emerge in the delivery process. Swelling of the scalp and bruising are common, but not cause for concern. Blood may accumulate below the coverings of the skull bones in a complication called cephalohematoma. These do not need treatment, and dissolve within a few months. A much less common injury is a skull fracture, which also heals without treatment unless it is a depressed fracture.
An intracranial hemorrhage, or bleeding in the brain, is caused by the rupture of a blood vessel in the skull. This injury is much more common in premature infants, and results from inadequate blood flow to the brain, or diminished oxygen in the blood. Most newborns with bleeding in the brain do not exhibit symptoms, but it can cause poor feeding, seizures or lethargy.
There are numerous places within the brain that bleeding can occur. A subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs below the innermost membrane that covers the brain. This is the most common type of hemorrhage, and usually occurs in the full-term baby. The main issue with this type of hemorrhage is seizures, but it usually resolves itself and the child does well. Subdural hemorrhages occur between the inner and outer layers of the brain and have become much less common as childbirth techniques improve. Subdural hemorrhages usually cause seizures or high levels of bilirubin in the blood. An intraventricular hemorrhage occurs in the fluid-filled spaces (ventricles) in the brain, and ultimately occurs in the brain itself. These generally occur in premature newborns and are usually seen as a birth defect rather than a birth injury. NYC Birth Injury Attorneys in Brooklyn and Queens are well versed in these kinds of problems.
Contact NY Birth Injury Attorney who has the education, training, and experience that it takes to understand these cases and will work toward the proper settlement for you and your child’s future.The Office of Stephen Bilkis and Associates can offer you support and guidance as well as a free consultation when you contact us at 1-800-NY-NY-LAW. We have offices in N York City, including Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and The Bronx and in Nassau County, Suffolk County and Westchester County.