Detecting Birth Injuries

Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Attorneys

In some cases, a birth injury can be caused by the natural birthing process. Other times, it is the result of medical negligence on the part of the obstetric professionals. The problem with birth injuries is that some are immediately evident, and others may not be diagnosed until days or even years after your child’s birth.

The types of birth injuries that are most apparent immediately following the birth of your child include:

• Lacerations
• Forcep marks
• Swelling of the scalp
• Facial paralysis
• Bruises
• Fractures
• Subconjunctival hemorrhage (ruptures to the tiny blood vessels in your child’s eye)

Sadly, severe injuries like Cerebral Palsy or Erb’s Palsy may not surface until later in your child’s life.

Many potential birth injuries and other serious conditions can be detected with a simple blood test or through an ultrasound. The most common prenatal screening tests look for markers or evidence of the following:

• Cystic Fibrosis
• Sickle Cell Disease
• Tay-Sachs Disease
• Canavan’s Disease
• Down syndrome
• Spina bifida

Your doctors, nurses and obstetricians owe you a certain standard of care. If your baby was born with an injury that could have been prevented or detected through proper screening, you deserve to be fairly compensated. Not because money will necessarily heal your new baby right away, but because their birth injury will likely require extensive and long-term medical care and that is expensive. Your child and your family should not have to struggle because of someone else’s negligence.

If you believe your child has suffered a birth injury, please contact Golomb & Honik using the form on the left side of the page or call 215-278-4449 today to schedule your free medical malpractice consultation. Golomb & Honik serve clients nationwide from our offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.