Welcoming a new child into the world should be an exciting time filled with joy. But far too many families have this experience ruined by medical malpractice that leaves their child with severe birth injuries. The harm caused by this medical negligence can result in painful, lifelong conditions that limit a child’s mobility and ability to live their fullest life. But sometimes it’s hard to tell if your child has been injured by medical malpractice or an acceptable medical mistake. Let’s look at what you need to look for to make that determination.
Signs that your child’s birth injury was caused by medical malpractice
Figuring out whether you need to take legal action can be hard. But here are some signs that could indicate that your child has been hurt by medical malpractice, thus warranting consideration of a medical malpractice claim:
- Seizures
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle stiffness
- Trouble breathing
- Light sensitivity
- Speech delays
- Mobility delays
- Muscle spasms
- Hearing and vision issues
- Improper responses to stimuli
If your child experiences any of these symptoms, then you should dig deeper into the circumstances surrounding their injuries, as medical malpractice may have occurred. Medical conditions like cerebral palsy, brachial palsy, clavicle fractures, cephalohematoma and Erb’s palsy are all commonly caused by medical malpractice, too, so if you’re child has been diagnosed with any of these conditions, you’ll want to further assess.
So, if you suspect something has gone wrong during your child’s birth, don’t make the mistake of chalking it up to an expected side-effect of a complicated birth. Instead, fully analyze the circumstances to see if you’re warranted in taking legal action.
We know that the thought of pursuing a medical malpractice claim can be stressful. But you can find support to help you get through the process. If you’d like to learn more about how properly navigate one of these cases, then we encourage you to read through our other blog posts and the rest of our website.