Birth Injuries

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The birth of a new baby is normally a wonderful occasion and one that parents everywhere anticipate with eagerness and excitement. Unfortunately, birth injuries can cause great distress during what normally is a joyful occasion, and sometimes even end in permanent disabilities. Tragically, most birth injuries are very preventable and are only brought on my medical malpractice or negligence. When the future of an otherwise healthy newborn is jeopardized by the negligence of a medical professional, it is necessary to employ the assistance of a Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyer with experience in birth injury cases.

The medical malpractice lawyers at Messa & Associates have worked with many families and secured many verdicts for families and children who have endured this tragedy:

  • Confidential
    $8.6 Million verdict for a family of a child who suffered severe brain damage because her delivery was inexplicably delayed.
  • Confidential
    $6 Million settlement for cardiac defect (tetralogy of fallot) in an infant which went undiagnosed and untreated, resulting in death of the infant.

Obstetricians, midwives, and other birthing professionals are required to utilize the means available to them in a knowledgeable and medically responsible manner to ensure the best care of mother and baby. In most situations, birth injuries are avoidable. Often, in these cases, steps that could and should have been taken to prevent serious and permanent injury to a newborn child are overlooked. When this happens, catastrophic injuries can result which will require lifelong medical care for the injured child. A hospital, doctor, or healthcare provider who causes such catastrophic injuries should be held legally and financially accountable. The experienced and knowledgeable Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers at Messa & Associates can help families recover compensation for their losses and the life-altering consequences of birth injuries.

Our Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Lawyers Understand All Types of Birth Injuries

Our attorneys have represented families who have experienced birth injuries to newborns that include:

  • Cerebral Palsy – There are several known causes of cerebral palsy that can happen at different points in the prenatal, birth, and post-natal periods.
  • Erb’s Palsy – Temporary or permanent paralysis of a child’s arm due to nerve damage occurring during birth.
  • Perinatal Stroke – Causing brain injury, paralysis, blindness or even death.
  • Shoulder Dystocia / Brachial Plexus Injury – This condition occurs if the baby’s shoulder becomes lodged behind the mother’s pubic bone during birth and an improper action is performed by the doctor to complete the birth. This injury can result in Erb-Duchenne Palsy or Dejerine-Klumpke Palsy.
  • Kernicterus – This preventable birth injury is caused by a high level of bilirubin in a baby’s blood. If left untreated, the bilirubin can then spread into the brain, where it causes long-term brain damage.

Birth injuries can happen at any point during the gestation period, at birth, or after birth. Medical professionals who mistreat expectant mothers during the course of their pregnancy, fail to diagnose and treat conditions such as Preeclampsia or Polyhydramnios, mishandle emergencies during the birthing process, or who do not follow protocol after a difficult delivery can commit errors that demonstrate a deviation from the standard of care and therefore constitute a claim of medical malpractice. This is the time to call a knowledgeable Philadelphia Medical Malpractice attorney well versed in birth injury cases.

Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Lawyers Handle Many Types of Birth Injury Cases

Countless cases of birth injuries have been handled by our experienced Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys, such as:

Prenatal causes

  • certain infections including rubella, Group B strep, and herpes simplex; placental complications including placental insufficiency and placental separation from the uterine wall;
  • exposure to certain chemicals;
  • prescription of improper medication for mother during pregnancy;
  • certain conditions in the mother including preeclampsia, eclampsia, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Causes occurring at birth

  • umbilical cord prolapse or umbilical cord restriction caused by internal or external factors;
  • tearing of the placenta during birth, or placenta abruption;
  • fetal distress during the baby’s movement through the birth canal, assessed by fetal acidosis or lactic acidosis;
  • hypoxic injuries, and other significant injuries that can lead to brain damage;
  • bone fractures or skull fractures for which the delivering physician is at fault.

Post-natal causes

  • unaddressed or untreated seizures;
  • conditions that commonly accompany severe prematurity, including high blood pressure, excessive bleeding, poor nutrition, dehydration, jaundice, infection, and other factors.
  • hyperbilirubinemia/kernicterus

New Jersey & Philadelphia
Medical Malpractice Lawyers 

The costs that are associated with the lifelong care of a child who suffers from birth injuries are easily estimated into the tens of millions of dollars; and that is before factoring in time off work, mental and emotional distress, and the traumas experienced throughout the life of the injured person. Your baby may require surgery, adaptive equipment, or therapy for many years to come. The mounting medical bills resulting from the childbirth trauma suffered may already be causing you relentless stress and worry. Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys at Messa & Associates, with the necessary knowledge and experience, will assist you in seeking the recovery you deserve.

Although there are many doctors who would claim that conditions such as cerebral palsy are always beyond the ability of the doctor to control, many studies and individual cases prove otherwise. You owe it to yourself as a parent or loved one to seek the advice of an experienced Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney who will take the necessary steps and consult with the best medical experts regarding your child’s circumstances, to uncover the truth of what happened, expose any negligence of physicians and attending staff at your child’s birth, and prosecute your case to the fullest extent of the law.

With offices in New Jersey and Philadelphia, the Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers at Messa & Associates can make this evaluation with the testimony of experienced professionals and medical experts who will interpret complex medical records. Our aggressive representation will help provide compensation for birth injuries so that you can afford the highest quality treatment for your child, for as long as he or she needs it. Families in New Jersey and Pennsylvania can call the medical malpractice lawyers at Messa & Associates in Philadelphia or South Jersey at 1-877-MessaLaw, or 1-877-637-7252, for a FREE consultation to discuss the details of your case. You may also submit a free online inquiry. The future of a child is something that can be prepared for today. Call and get the advice of the experienced and compassionate Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers at Messa & Associates.

WE CAN HELP!

Call the Philadelphia personal injury lawyers of Messa & Associates today to discuss your case with a professional who has the knowledge to answer your questions or submit a free online inquiry.

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