Parents should not have to worry about the possibility of their child experiencing developmental abnormalities due to the negligence of a medical practitioner. Unfortunately, some doctors fail to provide a mother and her child with the medical care that they deserve. If your child is experiencing developmental abnormalities due to medical malpractice, you should contact an experienced Maryland attorney for infant developmental abnormalities due to birth injuries.
At Bennett & Heyman, we are dedicated to providing you with the legal representation you deserve if your child suffered a severe birth injury. The birth of a child is an event that should be taken seriously by a doctor or hospital that is providing a mother and her newborn with medical care. Our medical malpractice attorneys possess decades of combined legal experience, and we are ready to use this knowledge to fight for you if your child was injured due to medical malpractice. You do not have to fight your case alone, contact Bennett & Heyman at (410) 429-7856 for a free legal consultation. You may also contact the firm online.
Risk Factors for Developmental Abnormalities Birth Injuries in Maryland
In the United States, roughly 29 newborns out of 1,000 suffer a birth injury that later causes delays or abnormalities in their developmental process. These developmental abnormalities often occur because a medical practitioner inflicted birth trauma related to a physical injury.
There are a number of risk factors that can lead to an infant sustaining birth trauma. One of the most common risk factors for birth trauma is having a child that is larger than average. The average newborn weighs about eight pounds and thirteen ounces. If a fetus exceeds this weight, there is a high risk that they could suffer a severe injury when entering the birth canal. For example, the head or shoulders of the child could become trapped in the birth canal because the child could not fit through the mother’s pelvis. Other risk factors that could lead to birth trauma include:
- Infants born in under 37 weeks
- Prolonged or difficult labor
- Breech births where the child’s legs or buttocks enter the womb first instead of the head
While there are risk factors that can increase the risk of a child sustaining birth trauma, medical practitioners can still be held responsible for failing to provide adequate medical care that contributed to the birth trauma. To learn more about the common birth injuries that can trigger developmental abnormalities, continue reading, and speak with an experienced Maryland birth injury attorney.
Developmental Abnormalities Caused by Birth Trauma
It can be difficult for parents to learn that their newborn may suffer developmental setbacks because a doctor failed to provide adequate medical care. There are a number of conditions that could result in a child having developmental abnormalities. If your child experienced any of these conditions, the medical staff responsible for delivering the child could be liable for the injury.
Caput Succedaneum
Caput succedaneum is a condition where a newborn’s scalp swells due to some trauma. This condition can occur under a variety of circumstances. For example, if a child’s head becomes trapped in the birth canal because it is larger than average, this may cause caput succedaneum. If a doctor does not make preparations for an emergency cesarean section under these circumstances, they could be liable for the child’s condition.
Brachial Plexus Injury
The brachial plexus is a network of nerves running from a person’s spinal cord to their arms and hands. When the brachial plexus is injured, a newborn could have difficulty with controlling their arm or hand due to the damaged nerves. A brachial plexus injury can occur if a doctor improperly uses birth-assisting instruments to deliver a child. For example, if a doctor exerts too much force when using forceps to extract a child from the birth canal, this could lead to a brachial plexus injury.
Oxygen Deprivation
It is extremely dangerous for a newborn to lack sufficient oxygen for a prolonged period of time. The lack of oxygen could lead to an infant suffering brain damage, which could lead to other developmental difficulties.
This is not an exhaustive list of conditions that affect a child’s development. If your child is missing important developmental milestones like learning to walk or talk, they may have suffered a severe injury at birth. To learn more about filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, continue reading and speak with an experienced Maryland medical malpractice lawyer.
When to File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit for Infant Abnormalities in Maryland
When considering a medical malpractice lawsuit after your child suffers a birth injury, you should be aware that your claim is subject to the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations dictates the amount of time that a potential plaintiff has to file their lawsuit with a court of law. The amount of time provided will depend on the circumstances of your case.
In Maryland, the statute of limitations for a medical malpractice lawsuit is five years from the date of the injury. However, if you did not discover your injury immediately, you will have three years from the date the injury was discovered to file your case. If you are filing a lawsuit on behalf of your child, there may be other circumstances to consider.
Contact Our Experienced Maryland Lawyer for Infant Developmental Abnormalities from Birth Injury
If your child was injured due to a severe birth injury, you should consult with an experienced Maryland lawyer for infant developmental abnormalities. At Bennett & Heyman, we understand the difficulty of learning that your child was injured because of medical malpractice, and we are ready to use our legal experience to fight for you. To schedule a free legal consultation to discuss your potential lawsuit, contact Bennett & Heyman at (410) 429-7856.
