At the Philadelphia law firm of Bochetto & Lentz, we are dedicated to helping the innocent victims of birth trauma that has been caused by negligence.  We are compassionate attorneys who understand the rollercoaster of emotion that parents whose children have been injured during birth experience, and we are here to help. We will listen to you carefully, examine your child’s medical records, speak to medical experts, and help you determine exactly what your damages and long term needs are in order to ensure that your child gets the justice that he or she deserves. Call our birth trauma attorney today and we’ll get started immediately.

 

A birth trauma is an injury to a baby’s tissues and organs that occurs during the birthing and delivery process. Unlike the term “birth injury” which refers to body systems, a trauma is generally caused by physical damage, while birth injury more accurately refers to damage done by lack of oxygen to the brain or by an infection.  Examples of birth trauma include Erb’s palsy, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), cerebral palsy, seizures, and intellectual disabilities. They can be caused in a number of different things, including:

 

  • Use of forceps or vacuum extractors
  • Intense contractions for prolonged periods of time
  • Breech birth
  • Shoulder presentation
  • Face presentation
  • Macrosomia (very large baby)
  • Cephalopelvic disproportion (head to large to pass through mother’s pelvis)
  • Shoulder dystocia (shoulder gets stuck on mother’s pelvis)

 

Labor may be one of the most natural events in the world, but it is not without risk, and physicians and health care practitioners who provide medical care during a birth are held to a high standard of care. They are expected to avoid risky practices and be thoroughly aware of the mother’s medical history, an abnormal presentation at birth, the baby’s heart rate during delivery, and other factors. Physicians and health care providers who are faced with complications during birth have several options, including the use of C-section instead of vaginal delivery. Research has shown that when a baby is in distress or their position puts them at risk, a vaginal delivery can exacerbate a problem and cause traumatic injuries leading to birth trauma.

Failure to pay attention and respond appropriately on the part of those providing medical care can result in injuries and birth trauma, as can misuse of instrumentation or medications that introduce additional risk. Doing so can cause irreparable long-term damage to the child, and can constitute negligence or medical malpractice.

 

If your child has been diagnosed with a birth trauma or permanent disability and you believe that it is a result of action or inaction on the part of the delivery team, the attorneys at Bochetto & Lentz are here to help. Our goal is to support you at every step of the way while aggressively pursuing justice on behalf of your child.

Learn more about our Birth Trauma Attorney here – https://www.bochettoandlentz.com/practice-areas/medical-malpractice-lawyers-in-philadelphia/