What Is Bell’s palsy?

A doctor’s negligence when a mother is either pregnant or in the labor and delivery process could cause lasting injuries. Some of these injuries could affect a child’s appearance and function for the rest of their lives. Bell’s palsy is one type of birth injury. A child who has Bell’s palsy will have limited facial function, and their appearance will be altered. Your family may be able to recover financial compensation if your child’s case of Bell’s palsy was the result of medical malpractice on the part of the doctor.

Bell’s Palsy Occurs When There Is Nerve Damage to the Face

Bell’s palsy is a form of facial paralysis with weakness in the face, which affects one or both sides. A baby would not have full control over the muscle movement in their face. Symptoms of Bell’s palsy include:

• The inability to close one or both eyelids.
• Drooping on one side of the face.
• Both sides of the mouth may not move the same way when the baby cries.
• There may be little to no movement on the side of the face, which is affected by the condition.

Causes of Bell’s Palsy During Pregnancy and the Labor and Delivery Process

Bell’s palsy occurs when there is pressure on the facial nerves. The child could have experienced pressure on the nerves either when they were in utero or during labor and delivery. A difficult delivery process often stresses various parts of the child’s body. Your child can suffer this injury due to several medical errors, including:

• Improper use of forceps during labor and delivery.
• Failure to perform a cesarean section procedure when it is necessary, especially during prolonged labor, which can cause physical stress for the baby.
• The baby has grown too large to safely traverse through the birth canal, and the doctor does not adjust the labor and delivery accordingly.

Bell’s palsy occurs in approximately one out of every 500 live births. There is a chance that your child could recover from this injury within several months after they have received treatment. Your baby may need surgery to correct the condition before their face grows much more. However, some cases of Bell’s palsy are permanent, and they will affect your child for the rest of their life. Even if the condition is treated and improves at a younger point in your child’s life, Bell’s palsy has been known to relapse later in life. Therefore, your child may always be living with the prospect of dealing with Bell’s palsy again at some point in their life.

You May Be Entitled to Financial Compensation for Birth Injuries

Bell’s palsy is a birth injury that could enable your family to recover compensation from the doctor in a medical malpractice lawsuit. In many cases, your child would not have developed the condition had the doctor acted as a reasonable medical professional would have under the circumstances. The doctor should have noticed the risk factors for damage to the facial nerves and acted accordingly. In many cases, Bell’s palsy could have been prevented by a prompt cesarean section, either which was planned ahead of time or was the result of a prolonged labor and delivery process. Even if your child eventually recovers from the condition, your family would still be entitled to financial compensation for the birth injury if you prove that the doctor was negligent in their treatment or the labor and delivery process.

Contact a Belleville Birth Injury Lawyer at The Cates Law Firm Today for Help with Your Medical Malpractice Case

If a doctor’s negligence has injured your child, get legal help from a Belleville birth injury lawyer at The Cates Law Firm. You can schedule a free initial consultation by calling us today at 618-277-3644 or by contacting us online. Located in Swansea, Illinois, we proudly serve clients in St. Louis, Belleville, East St. Louis, Edwardsville, Granite City, Waterloo, Chester, Carbondale, St. Clair County, Madison County, Monroe County, Randolph County, and other regions throughout Southern Illinois.