St. Louis Birth Injury Lawyer

Medical Malpractice

• Insufficient prenatal care
• Birth room contagions
• Delays in treatment
• Poor monitoring of vital signs
• Inappropriate pharmaceutical prescriptions
• Damage from vacuum or forceps extraction

Birth Injuries Sustained Naturally

Families whose child suffered a birth injury should seek proper medical care. Birth injury treatment options include surgeries, medications, and therapies. Quality birth injury treatment is available at numerous hospitals and medical centers in St Louis:

• St Louis Children's Hospital Newborn Medicine Clinic — St Louis, Missouri 63110
• Barnes Jewish Hospital Women's & Infants Center — St Louis, Missouri 63131
• Mercy Hospital — St Louis, Missouri 63141

TorHoerman Law

The most common birth injuries sustained during labor in St. Louis hospitals include:

Brachial Palsy

Brachial palsy is caused by damage to the brachial plexus, the network of nerves that control the hands and arms. A brachial plexus injury affects a child’s ability to flex or rotate the injured arm. Brachial palsy can be treated soon after birth with physical therapies and exercises, but the injury can be permanent if the nerves are damaged.

Bruising and Forceps Marks

Newborns delivered with forceps or by vacuum extraction can suffer from marks, bruises, and lacerations on their faces and body. Bruising can also occur naturally from the child coming in contact with the birth canal or the mother’s tissues and pelvic bones.

Caput Succedaneum

Caput Succedaneum refers to swelling on the soft tissue of the scalp. Caput is most likely to develop during vacuum extraction, and the swelling is often paired with scalp bruising.

Cephalohematoma

Cephalohematoma refers to bleeding between the skull bones and their fibrous outer layers. Cephalohematoma is usually noticeable within a few hours of a child’s birth as a lump on his or her head. The injury typically heals naturally, but newborns can develop jaundice in instances of severe bleeding.

Facial Paralysis

Excessive pressure on a newborn's face during birth can cause nerve damage and facial paralysis. This can result naturally or from inadequate forceps or vacuum use. Bruised nerves typically heal within a few weeks, but in cases where facial nerves are torn, surgery is often required.

Fractures

Newborn’s clavicles and collarbones are susceptible to fracturing during delivery. The bones are likely to break when there are problems delivering the baby’s shoulder or in instances of breech delivery.

Subconjunctival Hemorrhaging

Bleeding in the eye’s outer layer is referred to as subconjunctival hemorrhaging. This injury is common in newborns and appears as a bright red band in the white section of the child’s eye. The hemorrhaging can cause eye damage, but it typically heals within seven to ten days.