Denver Infant Nerve Injury Attorneys
Get Help After Your Child Suffers Nerve Injury at Birth
Even though childbirth is a natural process, it can still result in trauma to the mother and baby. When doctors do not treat delivery complications quickly and effectively, this physical trauma may lead to nerve damage in the child.
If your child suffered a nerve injury at the hands of Denver doctors, please contact the birth injury lawyers at Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. Our team is at the forefront of birth injury litigation throughout the United States, and we have handled hundreds of similar cases. Call (877) 433-3906 for a no-cost initial consultation today.
What Kind of Nerve Damage Is Possible?
Most nerve damage at birth occurs when the baby is attempting to maneuver through the birth canal. For example, if the baby’s shoulder gets caught on the mother’s pelvis (shoulder dystocia), the neck can be stretched or strained. The nerves that are most commonly injured are:
- Facial nerve: Facial nerve damage, also called facial nerve palsy, is the loss of controllable muscle movement in an infant’s face due to pressure on the facial nerve just before or at the time of birth.
- Brachial plexus: The brachial plexus is a network of nerves between the neck and shoulders. These nerves control muscle function and sensation in the shoulders, arms, wrists, and hands. When the nerves of the brachial plexus are stretched, compressed, or torn, it can result in a loss of muscle function, loss of feeling, or even paralysis of the arm.
- Phrenic nerve: Phrenic nerve injuries tend to be associated with brachial plexus injuries. Phrenic nerves originate in the neck and pass down between the lungs and heart to reach the diaphragm. Injury to these nerves may cause an infant to have respiratory distress.
- Spinal cord: A spinal cord injury typically occurs in a breech-presentation delivery. Depending on where the spinal cord is “insulted” or injured, it may cause paralysis of the intercostal and abdominal muscles. If the injury occurs above the lower cervical region of the spine (C5 to C7), it may be fatal.
Doctors’ Responsibility to Prevent Nerve Damage at Birth
It is the medical providers’ responsibility to handle a difficult delivery without causing additional damage to the infant. Certain practices used by doctors to speed up childbirth can actually prove harmful. For example, a doctor may reposition or pull on the baby’s head to get the baby through the birth canal. However, this pulling and twisting can damage the baby’s nerves. Additionally, doctors sometimes use forceps to pull the baby out. Forceps can press on and injure the baby’s facial nerves, and possibly cause lifelong paralysis.
Medical professionals must practice within the standard of care. Failure to do so is negligent. If the negligence was a cause of your baby’s injuries, you may have a medical malpractice case.
Work With an Experienced Denver Medical Malpractice Attorney
If you believe your baby’s nerve damage is a result of medical negligence, contact Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. as soon as possible. Our infant nerve injury lawyers will examine your medical records and look for signs of a preventable injury. Call our Denver office at (303) 759-9945 today to schedule your no-cost consultation.
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