How an NYC Medical Malpractice Lawyer Can Help in Birth Injury Cases

The hope of every parent after their stint in the delivery room is to bring a healthy, newborn baby home. Sadly, in some cases, things don’t work out the way couples plan, and their baby suffers a birth injury. One of the most common after-effects of birth injuries is cerebral palsy.

A serious case of oxygen deprivation to the brain or head trauma during the labor can lead to the newborn developing cerebral palsy. About 20 percent of congenital cerebral palsy cases are due to a brain injury during the birthing process, according to medical research pundits.

Some birth injury cases can stem from medical negligence, something that an experienced NYC medical malpractice lawyer, for example, can help substantiate. With an attorney’s help, parents might be able to prove that the birth injury was due to medical malpractice, after which they can work together to file a lawsuit against the health care providers and seek compensation.

Understanding cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy refers to a neurological disorder that affects one’s body movement and motor coordination. Kids with this condition are commonly referred to as kids with special needs and will most likely require lifetime care and attention.

Detecting the symptoms

The tricky part about cerebral palsy is that symptoms are not apparent right away. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that some babies may display evidence of cerebral palsy a few days or weeks after birth, while some may even manifest symptoms not until late into toddlerhood. As such, when parents notice symptoms like speech and vision problems, muscle spasticity, involuntary movements, and walking difficulties, it is important to see medical specialists right away.

Investigating the case

Because not all cerebral palsy cases are due to a birth injury, a thorough investigation must follow a diagnosis. Parents who suspect the condition was due to a birth injury can get in touch with established New York medical malpractice lawyers, like those from the Law Offices of Joseph Lichtenstein, to help them assemble a team of professionals—neonatologists, pediatric neurologists, and others—to help ascertain whether the condition is indeed on account of medical negligence.

Childbirth should be a joyous time, but a birth injury can ruin the experience. Parents should work to resolve what happened to their child by filing for medical negligence at the soonest possible time. The quicker they act on the matter, the quicker they can achieve the justice and peace of mind that they deserve.

(Source: Understanding Cerebral Palsy — the Basics, webmd.com)