Labor and delivery work out well for most people, but in some instances a baby can be injured during the labor and delivery process. Often when a child is injured at birth, doctors and hospital-staff do not tell parents how or why the injury occurred. That is where the Buchanan Firm can help the Muskegon community. Most people call us for help because they were not getting straight answers from a hospital, such as Mercy Health after their child was injured at birth. Our team understands wanting to know whether your baby’s injury was caused by a preventable mistake (i.e., birth injury or medical malpractice) or by one of life’s natural results. We successfully answer that question for many parents, and will answer it for you, too.
At Buchanan Firm, we not only believe in giving straight answers, but we also believe childbirth education can simplify birth and help expectant parents navigate the maze of modern obstetrics to have a safe, healthy birth. We want every expectant parent to have tools to help increase the odds of a safe birth and lower the risk of medical errors.
Though there are many possible causes of birth injury, the following are some more common identifiable causes or contributing factors:
Birth injuries sometimes are identifiable immediately after delivery with typical signs that signal possible injuries, including the following:
Parents should be aware that different babies have different signs of possible birth injuries; thus, a careful examination is critical to determine the correct diagnosis. The Buchanan Firm team encourages parents to be educated on the possible signs of injuries, and to ask several questions to care providers after the delivery of a baby. For example, parents should understand the APGAR scoring system for babies. APGAR score is a test given one minute after a baby is born, and five minutes later. Sometimes, if there are concerns about the baby’s condition or the score at five minutes is low, the test may be scored for a third time at ten minutes after birth. Five factors are used to evaluate the baby’s condition and each factor is scored on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being the best score:
A: Appearance (skin color)
P: Pulse
G: Grimace (reflex)
A: Activity (muscle tone)
R: Respiration
A perfect Apgar score is 10. A score lower than seven means the baby might need help breathing. A low Apgar score does not always mean a child will have serious or long-term health problems, as it is not meant to predict the future health of the child. However, it may signal a serious and potentially life-threatening problem requiring immediate medical attention.
When birth injury or birth trauma occurs, unfortunately there is risk of long-term, permanent, and life-changing medical issues for the baby. In severe cases, the child will experience developmental disorders, brain damage, or nerve damage. Some common, serious, and long-term medical issues that result from birth injury or birth trauma include:
Perhaps one of these birth injuries or birth traumas is familiar to you. If you or someone close to you suffered a difficult labor and delivery in Muskegon at Mercy Health Hospital resulting in injury to a newborn child, it is important to act quickly and call the Buchanan Firm team. The only way to determine whether injury was avoidable is to have prenatal, delivery, and newborn medical care reviewed by professionals who understand the complex medicine between mother and fetus during gestation, stresses the infant undergoes during birth, effects of those stresses, adjusting to life outside the womb, and responses to stresses and factors of the environment.
At Buchanan Firm, our combined legal-medical team has decades of experience handling medical malpractice cases, including cases involving birth injury and birth trauma in Muskegon, Michigan. We quickly and efficiently assess the medical facts and give you answers. If we determine medical malpractice caused a child’s injury, we will take immediate action to protect the child’s rights and fight to secure fair and just compensation for the harms and losses.