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A West Palm Beach, Florida, couple has filed a birth injury lawsuit against an obstetrician who they claim caused their son’s cerebral palsy by choosing to extract him with a vacuum pump instead of allowing a natural delivery. The boy, now 16 years old, was born with the condition on March 6, 1998, and currently...

A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit against a certified nurse midwife (CNM), alleging that the midwife’s negligence caused her baby to experience a brachial plexus injury during childbirth. According to the complaint, Barbara Carroll, CNM, did not provide appropriate care to the woman, who had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes and had already been...

A couple filed a birth injury lawsuit on July 10, alleging that their son developed Erb’s palsy following a long and difficult childbirth due to the negligence of hospital personnel. The lawsuit states that the midwife, obstetrician and several nurses at the federally managed Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida, Inc. deviated from accepted standards...

Cerebral palsy is one of the most common conditions that can be caused by birth injuries, occurring in 2.1 of every 1,000 live births. When it occurs as the result of negligence on the part of medical personnel, the parents may be entitled to compensation through a birth injury lawsuit filed against the medical providers....

Induced labor may help reduce the chances of shoulder dystocia for pregnant women giving birth to larger-than-average babies. Earlier in 2015, researchers at Geneva University Hospitals in Switzerland studied labor induction as an option to decrease the risk of shoulder dystocia during delivery. They found that one case of shoulder dystocia was prevented for every...

A new study has found that cerebral palsy occurs mostly due to prenatal factors such as birth defects rather than birth asphyxia and other potential causes often thought to be responsible. The research was published in the September 3 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health and...

The Florida Supreme Court in December 2015 decided not to hear a dispute over whether the University of Miami could be held liable for the actions of two physicians it employed through its medical school. The case concerned a baby who sustained a brain injury during delivery in 1998 at Jackson North Maternity Center in...

One potential risk of childbirth is prolonged labor, which occurs when the mother remains in labor beyond the standard period of time. This condition can carry a higher risk for birth injuries, and it’s vital that doctors monitor cases of prolonged labor and respond appropriately to minimize or avoid risk of injury. Prolonged Labor Overview...

If you have a new child who’s been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, it’ll take a concerted effort, a good amount of time and an open heart to adapt to the new family dynamics. Having a child with special needs adds a new – and sometimes overwhelming – dimension to your life. It is your job...

A new study has found that expectant mothers with asthma may be at a greater risk of delivering prematurely if they are exposed to high levels of traffic-related air pollution just before conception and in early pregnancy. National Institutes of Health researchers noted both short-term and continuous exposure to carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides increased...

Brachial plexus injuries are among the most common types of birth injuries today. They affect the network of nerves that extends from the neck to the shoulder, arm and hand. Brachial plexus injuries can be caused by a number of factors during the delivery process, including birth trauma or shoulder dystocia, where the baby’s shoulder...

A Cesarean birth is a major medical procedure performed on a pregnant woman who cannot give birth vaginally. It means the baby will be delivered by surgery, via an incision across the belly and uterus, rather than vaginally. When a C-section May Be Necessary C-sections are done because of pregnancy complications or because of complications...

First it is important to note that not all birth injuries are caused by medical malpractice, so not every injury is grounds for a lawsuit. However, there are several types of birth injuries that are often caused by mistakes on the part of doctors or other medical personnel. When that is the case, the families...

The burden of proof in an Erb’s palsy case dictates that a plaintiff – in this case, the injured child’s parents – must prove his or her case based on evidence presented. Essentially, this means the victim must prove the doctor or hospital was at fault versus the doctor or hospital proving they were not...

Parents of injured children often struggle with questions such as – Should I hire an attorney to pursue compensation in a birth injury claim? The answer depends on the extent and cause of the injury. An attorney can provide legal representation if a parent believes a doctor or hospital’s mistake caused a birth injury, such...

A doctor may be responsible for Erb’s palsy in cases of medical negligence. The doctor’s error could occur during prenatal care, labor or delivery. Additionally, a failure to diagnose and begin treatment for Erb’s palsy may signal negligence. Parents may pursue compensation in a birth injury claim stemming from a doctor’s mistake. Compensation can address...

A new parent with a child diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury often wants to know, “What can I expect in the first year of Erb’s palsy?” The answer depends on the severity of the underlying nerve injury. Mild injuries may “self-resolve” with the passage of time and the use of physical therapy. More serious...

When a mother hears that her newborn baby suffered a birth injury, she is often not prepared for this news and doesn’t know much about birth injuries. So, when a mother hears the terms Erb’s palsy and shoulder dystocia used after her baby is born, she needs to understand the connections between the two birth...