San Francisco Birth Injury Attorney

Bringing a new baby into the world is one of life’s greatest pleasures and privileges. When, however, that child suffers a preventable birth injury, it can be difficult to adequately express the devastation that ensues. If your child was injured at birth by the negligence of a medical professional, you may have important legal rights. You need the professional legal counsel of an experienced San Francisco birth injury attorney on your side as soon as possible.

Birth Injuries: Common Causes

Medical professionals and medical facilities owe every patient a duty of care. When that duty of care is not maintained throughout the mother’s pregnancy and delivery, it can result in a preventable birth injury. There are a variety of causes that can lead to serious birth injuries, including:

• Errors made in the delivery process
• Failure to adequately accommodate high birth weight
• Failure to adequately monitor fetal development during pregnancy
• Failure to adequately monitor fetal distress and/or baby’s lack of oxygen during the birthing process
• Failure to adequately tend to the choking hazard presented by the umbilical cord
• Failure to adequately address prolonged labor and/or baby’s abnormal presentation at birth
• Inadequate skill or care employed in the use of forceps or a vacuum for extraction
• Inadequate and untimely resuscitation after birth
• Many other causes

Any of these instances of medical error can lead to serious birth injuries that have lasting consequences for both the infant and the infant’s family.

Types of Birth Injuries

Negligence on the part of any medical professional or on the part of the medical facility itself can lead to many different kinds of serious birth injuries, including:

• Brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation (cerebral palsy is one example)
• Palsy caused by nerve damage that negatively affects the infant’s ability to move his or her hands, wrists, and arms (Erb’s palsy, brachial plexus palsy, and Klumpke’s palsy are examples)
• Facial paralysis caused by facial nerves that are damaged during childbirth when undue pressure is applied to the infant’s face
• Broken bones, fractures, and skeletal deformities

Damages Associated with Birth Injuries

The overall damages associated with birth injuries are often immense. If the preventable birth injury is permanent, the child not only has to live with the impairment but must also face the consequences of a lifetime of potentially diminished income from employment limitations. This is in addition to the extensive ongoing medical costs and the pain and suffering endured by both the child and his or her parents. All told, the consequences of a preventable birth injury are difficult to overestimate.

If Your Child Is the Victim of a Preventable Birth Injury, Consult with an Experienced San Francisco Birth Injury Attorney Today

Birth injuries are devastating, and preventable birth injuries can be more distressing. If your child suffered a preventable birth injury during either your pregnancy or delivery, the experienced birth injury attorneys at The Law Office of Scott Righthand in San Francisco have the skill, knowledge, and dedication to aggressively advocate for your child’s rights and best interests – including compensation for the full extent of his or her damages. We’re here to help, so please don’t hesitate to  contact us for more information today.