Our Bend/Portland, Oregon Birth Injury Lawyers Help You Understand Cephalohematoma Birth Injuries and Why it Could be Medical Malpractice
Cephalohematoma is a rare medical condition that occurs during the labor and delivery process. Generally, this is a mild condition and heals with minimal treatment and concern. However, some instances of Cephalohematoma can help to serious personal injuries and even cause the wrongful death of a newborn. Cephalohematoma could be caused by a difficult birth and therefore it is a natural consequence of labor and delivery. However, Cephalohematoma could also be caused by the downright reckless, careless, and even negligent conduct of a healthcare provider. Learn whether your child’s Cephalohematoma could have been caused by medical malpractice from our Bend/Portland, Oregon birth injury lawyers.
What is Cephalohematoma?
Cephalohematoma is a type of hematoma that occurs on a baby’s skull. A hematoma is a collection of blood outside of the blood vessels but within the tissue. A Cephalohematoma is a collection of blood in the periosteum of a baby’s skull bone. The periosteum is a dense, fibrous membrane which covers the surfaces of bones including the skull. Thus, a Cephalohematoma is pooling blood in the layers of tissue around the skull. This is not bleeding within the skull or compromising the brain directly, but between the outer layer of skin and the skull bone.
Causes of Cephalohematoma
There are many possible causes fo Cephalohematoma which could be caused naturally or due to medical malpractice. Whenever your baby has any lasting effects from Cephalohematoma, including a scar, it is important to be evaluated to determine that there are not other lasting complications. Some of the common causes of a Cephalohematoma due to Oregon medical malpractice include the following:
- Improper use of forceps;
- Excessive use of vacuum extractor;
- Dropping the baby;
- Mishandling the baby;
- Improper c-section procedures;
- Failing to gauge the size of the mother’s pelvic area with the first of the baby;
- Excessive contractions that are not treated; and
- Other common reckless, careless, or negligent conduct.
Dangers of Cephalohematoma
While most of the time Cephalohematoma is harmless in the long-term, other times it can result in serious complications or permanent injuries. Some reasons why Cephalohematoma can be dangerous include the following:
- Nerve damage to the cranial nerves due to the 1) injury causing Cephalohematoma, or 2) the excessive build up of blood which can damage nerves and even cause ruptures, tears, or separations of the nerves;
- Increase the risks of jaundice because of a decrease in red blood cells which are bleeding into the hematoma, this allows bilirubin to increase in the blood which causes jaundice and if the bilirubin levels are not properly cleared, it could result in Kernicterus which could cause serious health complications including cerebral palsy; and
- Wrongful death could be caused by Cephalohematoma, although that is incredibly rare from just the Cephalohematoma. But excessive bleeding that is not treated or a surge in bilirubin could result in caustic conditions within the baby body which result in brain damages conditions, including hypoxic conditions which could cause death.
Ask our Bend/Portland, Birth Injury Lawyers for a Free Review
If your baby had one or more Cephalohematomas at birth and later suffered any type of subsequent birth injury, you may be entitled to compensation for care, treatment, pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages, and other damages for you and your newborn. If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, and Hillsboro.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.
