Medical Malpractice During Childbirth

For some women, the experience of childbirth triggers emotional problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder. This is especially true when mothers had complications during childbirth or a difficult birth process. Unfortunately, such complications are often caused by medical errors that can result in lasting injury to a newborn. 

Although serious birth injuries are rarer than they used to be, many injuries can occur during birth, including:

• Bones fractures during delivery
• Injuries to the brachial plexus, a nerve network in the shoulder
• Cerebral palsy caused by asphyxia during birth, hypoxia of the brain and trauma during delivery, a condition more likely to occur in children born premature
• Nerve injuries
• Bleeding in the brain (intracranial hemorrhage)
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage below the innermost of the two membranes covering the skull
• Subdural hemorrhage between the outer and inner layers covering the brain
• Intraventricular hemorrhage in the fluid-filled spaces in the brain
• Intraparenchymal hemorrhage in the brain tissue itself
• Skull fractures, often caused by the improper use of forceps
• Cephalohematoma in which blood accumulates below the periosteum skull bone

If your child suffered an injury during birth and you suspect that your doctor was negligent, it is best to speak with an attorney. Malpractice suits can take many forms, depending on the injury suffered by your child. The statute of limitations for filing a medical malpractice claim in New Jersey is normally two years. However, the statute of limitations does not expire until your child is 13 if the injury is birth-related.

For more information about medical malpractice that occurred during childbirth, consult an experienced New Jersey attorney who can provide compassionate legal guidance.