Common Types of Birth Injuries

Birth injuries can cause devastating and long-lasting effects for both newborn children and their families. In Illinois, these injuries affect approximately 7 out of every 1,000 births. If your family is dealing with the aftermath of a birth injury, you may have legal options.

What Are Birth Injuries?

Infants sustain physical birth injuries during the labor and delivery process, ranging from mild conditions that resolve on their own to severe trauma that may cause permanent disabilities. Various factors can cause these injuries, including the following:

• Delayed or prolonged labor
• Improper use of forceps, vacuum extractors, or other delivery tools
• Failure to perform a timely cesarean section
• Inadequate monitoring of fetal distress
• Mismanagement of maternal health conditions

What Are the Most Common Types of Birth Injuries?

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that impairs muscle coordination and body movement, affects about 2.5 per 1,000 children in Illinois. This condition often results from oxygen deprivation during delivery, which can damage the infant’s developing brain.

Brachial Plexus Injuries (Erb’s Palsy)

Brachial plexus injuries affect the nerves that control movement and sensation in the arms and hands. Excessive force to the infant’s head, neck, or shoulders during delivery often causes these injuries.

Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

When an infant’s brain fails to receive enough oxygen and blood flow during the birthing process, they may contract HIE—a serious condition that can lead to permanent brain damage or death.

Skull Fractures and Intracranial Hemorrhage

Physical trauma during delivery can cause skull fractures or bleeding in or around the infant’s brain, leading to developmental delays, cognitive impairments, and chronic pain for the child.

Facial Paralysis

If a doctor or nurse exerts too much pressure on the infant’s face during delivery, they can damage the baby’s facial nerves and cause temporary or permanent facial paralysis.

What Legal Options Do Families Have?

When birth injuries result from medical negligence, families can file a medical malpractice claim to collect compensation. Illinois law sets specific timelines for the parents of the affected infants to file these claims:

• Generally, the parents of the victims must file their claims within eight years of the injury.
• Minors have until their 22nd birthday to file claims for injuries sustained at birth.
• For a proper claim, the victim or the family of the victim must demonstrate that the healthcare providers failed to meet the standard of care expected in their profession.

Birth injury settlements in the state of Illinois average between $500,000 and $1.5 million, depending on the severity of the injury, the projected lifetime care needs, and other factors.

Find Legal Support From the Belleville Birth Injury Lawyers at The Cates Law Firm

If your child has suffered a birth injury, trust the Belleville birth injury lawyers at The Cates Law Firm to represent you effectively and demand justice for your child’s injuries. Call us today at 618-277-3644 or contact us online for a free consultation. 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.