There are several different causes of birth injuries that can result in serious and life-altering damage to a newborn. Oregon parents should know that many of these injuries have the potential to cause cerebral palsy and other debilitating conditions.
A new lawsuit arising from a serious birth injury was recently filed. The mother and her minor child brought the lawsuit against the doctor who delivered her child and the hospital. It claims her child’s brain injury and symptoms of cerebral palsy were due to medical negligence, recklessness and carelessness. They are seeking damages of at least $75,000 for “severe, painful, permanent and disabling injuries” to the child.
The mother was almost a week past her due date, so she was admitted to the hospital for an induced labor. The drug Pitocin was administered, which has several risks including fetal distress. The mother then started showing signs of placental abruption. This happens when the placenta prematurely separates from the uterine wall. It’s considered an emergency since the fetus’s oxygen supply may be interrupted.
The baby then started to show signs that he was not tolerating labor well. This meant that the baby could be at risk for a birth injury. Oxygen deprivation is one of the main causes of brain damage – including cerebral palsy. Despite these signs, the mother’s physician did not see his patient.
The mother was later unable to deliver the baby, so she underwent a c-section. At birth the baby was not breathing and his heart rate was slow. The baby was later diagnosed with metabolic acidosis, perinatal asphyxia and seizures. These are all classic signs of cerebral palsy.
Source: Injury Lawyer News, “Mississippi lawsuit claims birth injury caused newborn’s cerebral palsy,” Perry Larkin, Nov. 27, 2012