Chicago Birth Injury Attorneys

Chicago Birth Injury Lawyers Ready to Provide Compassionate Legal Aid

The birth of a child is supposed to be a happy event, but unfortunately, unexpected complications and injuries can sometimes occur. Birth injuries can have devastating consequences for both the child and the mother, and they may lead to long-term physical, emotional, and financial challenges that can affect a family for years to come. These injuries can occur due to various factors, but when a child or mother suffers harm due to the negligence of medical professionals during pregnancy or delivery, a family may be able to receive financial compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit. If your family has been affected by a birth injury, Schwartz Jambois can help you understand your legal options, and we will work to ensure that you will receive the compensation you deserve.

Types of Birth Injuries

There are a wide range of injuries that can affect children or mothers during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Some common types of birth injuries include:

• Hypoxia - Inadequate oxygen supply to a child during labor or delivery can cause damage to multiple bodily systems, leading to organ failure or other dangerous health conditions. Issues such as umbilical cord compression or placental abruption, which occurs when the placenta separates from the uterus prematurely, can cut off oxygen flow to the child. If these issues are not addressed correctly by medical personnel, a child may suffer irreversible harm.
• Brain injuries - A child may suffer brain damage due to oxygen deprivation or trauma during delivery. In many cases, brain damage is permanent, and it can result in issues such as developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties, seizures, or cerebral palsy.
• Shoulder dystocia - In some cases, a baby's shoulders may become stuck behind the mother's pubic bone during delivery. This can lead to nerve damage and other issues, including brachial plexus injuries or conditions such as Erb's palsy that can affect movement and sensation in the arm and hand.
• Infections - Infectious diseases contracted during pregnancy or delivery can have serious consequences for both the child and mother. Infections like Group B Streptococcus (GBS) or maternal infections such as chorioamnionitis can cause complications ranging from sepsis to brain damage in newborns.

Many of the most serious birth injuries can lead to cerebral palsy. This neurological disorder can affect muscle coordination and body movement. Damage to a child's developing brain is usually irreversible. Cerebral palsy can lead to lifelong disabilities involving issues such as difficulty with motor skills, speech impairments, seizures, and cognitive impairments.

Negligence Leading to Birth Injuries

Birth injuries often occur due to medical negligence on the part of healthcare professionals involved in prenatal care, labor, or delivery. Some examples of negligence that may contribute to birth injuries include:

• Failing to monitor and respond to signs of fetal distress during labor and delivery
• Delaying necessary interventions, such as a cesarean section (C-section)
• Misusing forceps or vacuum extractors during delivery
• Administering incorrect medication doses
• Failing to diagnose or treat maternal infections adequately
• Not properly managing high-risk pregnancies

If doctors, nurses, or other medical personnel deviate from accepted standards of care, and their actions result in harm to a mother or child during childbirth, this may be grounds for a medical malpractice claim. A family may be able to recover compensation for expenses related to an injury and other ways they have been affected. Compensation may address medical treatment and other forms of care needed to address a disability or other health issues, as well as income lost because a parent cannot work due to the need to provide ongoing care for their child. A family may also be compensated for pain, suffering, and emotional trauma related to a birth injury.

Contact Our Illinois Birth Injury Lawyers

If your family has been affected by a birth injury that was caused by medical negligence during pregnancy or delivery, it is crucial to take action promptly. At Schwartz Jambois, our compassionate attorneys have extensive experience handling birth injury cases in Illinois. We are dedicated to fighting for justice on behalf of injured children and mothers while providing personalized attention throughout the legal process. To discuss your case in a complimentary consultation, please contact us at 312-782-2525. We are here to listen to your story and help you pursue the compensation you deserve.