Understanding Common Birth Injuries in Oregon: Portland Birth Injury Lawyer
Oregon medical malpractice can result in many different types of serious birth injuries. However, there are still many common birth injuries in Oregon. Our Portland birth injury lawyer knows how the different types of birth injuries could result in different types of harms. It is important for families that have a child diagnosed with a birth injury to always consult with a law firm for help. This is because most birth injuries are actually caused by preventable medical errors. The reckless, careless, and downright negligence or gross negligence conduct of healthcare providers such as doctors, nurses, technicians, and other healthcare providers could result in serious or permanent injuries.
While some healthcare providers may claim that the birth injuries are due to unavoidable consequences or genetics, that is not always the case. In fact, many times a healthcare provider can intervene to protect children when there is the possibility for an unavoidable consequence. The best example is when a child may suffer severe birth injuries in a natural delivery, but a c-section could completely avoid those complications. Thus, if a healthcare provider was properly monitoring or caring for a child during this time, it could have resulted in the child being well protected from common birth injuries in Oregon.
Some of the most common birth injuries in Oregon include the following:
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy or HIE
This is one of the most catastrophic and devastating conditions which could result in serious health complications for a newborn. This is because a newborn will suffer a decrease in oxygen which can cause a whole host of other disability. Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, while a series of big words, means exactly what it says. Hypoxic means a decrease or deficiency of oxygen. Ischemic is a condition relating to blood. Encephalopathy is a condition relating to the brain which caused damage or some affect to the brain. Thus, HIE is a type of brain damage caused by a decreased oxygenated blood flow to the brain which causes a deficiency in oxygen.
Said differently, HIE is when a newborn suffers a brain injury or brain damage due to a lack of blood supply to the brain. This blood supply is what brings the necessary oxygen to the brain. Victims who have HIE at birth may suffer a whole host of serious injuries and damages. Some fo the most common causes of HIE include the following:
- Umbilical cord ruptures
- Overdose or overuse of Pitocin
- Excessive contractions restricting blood flow
- Overuse of extraction tools like forceps or vacuum extractors
- Umbilical cord prolapses (when the umbilical cord comes out the birth canal first)
- Unnecessary delays in neonatal resuscitation efforts
- Dangerous fetal heart rates
- Newborn bleeding that is not stopped quick enough
- Excessive contractions, and
- Other types of birth injuries.
Cerebral Palsy or CP
This is a very serious type of motor disability which can permanently affect a child. CP results in serious personal injuries due to a decrease of oxygen to the brain. including due to HIE. The damage to the brain takes the form of lesions which prevent the brain from forming in those areas. The location of the lesions that cause CP are in the basil ganglia and cerebellum. Individuals with CP can have prolonged disability and difficulty moving, including basic movements like sitting down, putting on a shirt, or talking. Cerebral palsy is also an expensive condition which could result in over a million dollars of increased healthcare costs for victims.
Kernicterus
It is normal for a newborn to have jaundice, or a yellowing of the skin or eyes. This is due to the bilirubin buildup in the blood as the baby’s body begins to work independently on its own once the mother’s umbilical cord has been separated. However, when a baby’s body cannot fully clear the bilirubin, it can result in prolonged jaundice. This can lead to kernicterus, which is an excessive buildup that is actually poisonous. The caustic nature of bilirubin could result in serious brain injuries and damage, including conditions like HIE which result in cerebral palsy or developmental delays.
Brachial Plexus Nerve Injuries
The brachial plexus is a bundle of nerves which come off of the spinal cord in the neck and extend down the neck, through the shoulder, and to the fingertips. When a baby’s arm is pulled, yanked, grabbed, or otherwise aggressively or excessively manipulated during the birthing process, it can result in a brachial plexus nerve injury. This includes could result in catastrophic disability and harm because the brachial plexus nerves govern motor movement, sensation, and function for the entire arm. If the brachial plexus damage is several enough, it could shut off the entire arm.
Did a Loved One Suffer a Severe Oregon Birth Injury? Ask Our Portland Birth Injury Lawyers for Help
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, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
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.
