Springfield, Illinois Birth Injury Attorney
Lawyers for Injuries to Babies During Childbirth in Sangamon County, McLean County, and Macon County
The birth of a child should be a joyous event, with parents and other family members welcoming a new addition to their family and getting ready to shower a baby with love and affection. Unfortunately, a family's hopes and dreams can be shattered when complications during pregnancy, labor, or delivery cause a child to suffer serious injuries. This can not only cause a great deal of distress for a family, but the costs involved in providing treatment and care for a child can be huge. In these cases, parents will want to work with an attorney to find out whether medical malpractice was to blame for their child's injury.
At Kanoski Bresney, our lawyers have over 40 years of experience representing clients in personal injury cases, including many situations in which patients suffered harm due to medical negligence. We have helped our clients recover more than $550 million, and we will work to make sure you receive payments that will allow you to cover the costs related to your child's injury and the other ways your family has been affected.
Common Types of Birth Injuries to Children
There are a variety of different complications that can happen during labor and delivery. While medical personnel are trained to respond to any issues that arise and take action to protect the safety of the mother and the child, they may make errors or act negligently, and this can lead to serious injuries. Some of the most common issues that lead to birth injuries include:
- Placenta or umbilical cord issues - Placental abruption, in which the placenta detaches from the wall of the uterus, may occur during pregnancy or birth, and this can limit blood flow to the child. Blood flow can also be restricted if the umbilical cord is pinched or knotted. These issues can result in asphyxia or hypoxia, in which an infant's supply of oxygen is cut off. In some cases, this cause permanent damage to a child's brain, which can result in developmental disorders such as cerebral palsy.
- Brain trauma - A rough delivery can cause a child to experience head injuries or skull fractures, causing damage to the brain. These injuries may occur because of the improper use of devices such as forceps or vacuum extractors.
- Fetal distress - A child's vital signs should be properly monitored during labor and delivery, and doctors and nurses should respond quickly to issues such as a lowered heart rate. In some cases, a child may suffer injuries because a Cesarean section was not performed in time to prevent injuries related to fetal distress.
- Infections - Infectious diseases may be passed from a mother to a child during pregnancy, or a child may contract an infection during delivery. If an infection spreads throughout the child's body, this can result in sepsis, which can damage the brain, heart, respiratory system, or other organs.
- Shoulder dystocia - If too much force is placed on a child's body as it proceeds through the birth canal, this can result in brachial plexus injuries that affect the nerves in the neck and shoulders, which may lead to conditions such as Erb's palsy.
Contact a Champaign Birth Injury Lawyer
If your child has suffered an injury during birth, you will want to find out whether this happened because of medical negligence. The attorneys of Kanoski Bresney can investigate your case and help you take steps to receive compensation for all of the costs related to your child's injury, including the medical treatment they have received, ongoing therapy, assistive devices needed to address a disability, and a parent's loss of income due to the need to provide care for a child with special needs. In addition to assisting with injuries to children, we can also help you pursue compensation for any maternal birth injuries you have experienced.
To learn how we can provide the respect, response, and results you need, contact us and schedule a free consultation by calling 888-U-COUNT-2 or 888-826-8682. We provide legal help with birth injuries in Sangamon County, Champaign County, Schuyler County, Decatur, Rushville, Peoria County, Macomb, Bloomington, Macon County, Tazewell County, Springfield, Champaign, Adams County, Pekin, McDonough County, Peoria, Quincy, McLean County, and throughout Illinois.