Birth Injuries
Morristown Cerebral Palsy Birth Injury Attorneys
Doctors and nurses can be held financially liable
for birth injuries that result from general negligence and a failure to follow standard treatment protocols. Most birth injuries occur when an insufficient amount of oxygen reaches the baby prior to birth. Doctors and nurses should monitor fetal heart strips in order to quickly identify the early warning signs of fetal distress. Additionally, open communication and regular updates regarding a mother’s vital signs are essential for recognizing potential problems that could lead to shoulder dystocia and other complications during birth. At the Morristown Personal Injury Law Office of Leonard & Leonard, our birth injury attorneys work with obstetricians, nurses and other medical experts in exposing negligence on the part of doctors and other health care professionals.
Hypoxic or anoxic injuries require a lifetime of care. If your son or daughter suffers from brain damage or physical problems due to a birth injury, contact our Morristown Birth Injury Lawyers today to schedule an appointment and learn how we can help you. Call us at 973-984-1414.
Birth Injuries and Medical Malpractice
Our birth injury attorneys recover damages for parents of children suffering from the following kinds of birth injuries resulting from medical malpractice.
- Cerebral palsy
- Erb’s palsy
- Fetal acidosis
- Abrupted placenta
- Shoulder dystocia
- Klumpke’s paralysis
- Forceps injuries
- Intubation errors
- Induction errors
- Cephalohematoma
- Cord compression
- Mismanagement of group B strep
Cerebral Palsy, Erb’s Palsy and Standard Treatment Protocols
In general, cerebral palsy and Erb’s palsy occur when health care professionals fail to notice when a baby isn’t getting enough oxygen. Additionally, if a baby is caught behind his or her mother’s pelvic bone, shoulder dystocia can lead to cerebral palsy or Erb’s palsy. When fetal distress goes unnoticed and an insufficient amount of oxygen reaches a baby, brain damage occurs, adversely affecting the cognitive and physical development of a child.
In the case of shoulder dystocia, doctors should immediately execute Zavanelli’s maneuver, McRoberts’ maneuver or Wood’s screw maneuver to avoid injury to the child. Failure to use one of these maneuvers or poorly executing them can lead to cerebral palsy or Klumpke’s paralysis.
Cerebral Palsy, Birth Injuries and the Statute of Limitations in New Jersey
In the case of hypoxic birth injuries like cerebral palsy and Erb’s palsy, it may not be obvious for some time that a child was injured at birth. Typically, parents don’t suspect something is wrong until it becomes clear that their child’s cognitive and physical development is slower than it should be. In New Jersey, the statute of limitations on birth injuries extends to two years before a child’s 18th birthday if he or she was born before July of 2004; for children born after July of 2004, a lawsuit must be filed prior to a child’s 13th birthday.
Contact Morristown Birth Injury Attorneys at Leonard & Leonard
At Leonard & Leonard, we have the resources and experience needed to hold negligent doctors and nurses accountable for their failures. After your case has been settled, we can explain how you can use a structured settlement or special needs trust to ensure your child has the financial support he or she will need throughout their life.
For more information regarding birth injuries and medical malpractice, contact birth injury attorneys today.
The experienced personal injury law firm of Leonard & Leonard, P.A. works hard to protect the rights of families and individuals in cases of personal injury, wrongful death, workers’ compensation, employment law, traffic violations, and civil rights. They serve clients throughout the state, with offices in Union County and Morris County and the surrounding areas of New Jersey, including cities and communities such as Springfield, Summit, Millburn, Union, Newark, Morristown, Morris Plains, Dover, Sparta, Hackettstown, Irvington, Paterson, Bloomfield, Hackensack, Basking Ridge, East Hanover, Mendham, Randolph, Morris Township, Bernardsville, Plainfield, and Elizabeth.
