Tag: birth injury

Perinatal Hypoxia and Blindness in Newborns

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According to the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information), damage to the brain is the most common cause of visual impairment in children in developed countries. Blindness caused by brain injury during a baby’s labor and delivery (the perinatal phase of birth) occurs when the baby’s oxygen supply is severely interrupted for a long enough period of time to cause damage to the brainstem or visual cortex (also called the occipital lobe), which are the parts of the brain primarily responsible for eyesight.

Not only can perinatal hypoxia and asphyxia (shortages of oxygen) cause blindness (cortical blindness), but oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery causes other severe birth injuries, such as cerebral palsy (CP) and other neurologic disabilities in children.   These injuries may have been the result of poor fetal monitoring or a lack of discovery of potential birth complications by medical providers.

Cortical (or cerebral) blindness and cerebral palsy cannot be cured but treatment will very often improve a child’s capabilities and in general, the earlier treatment begins the better chances are that children will overcome developmental disabilities.

If you would like to discuss your child’s potential birth claim arising from cortical blindness or CP, the attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential, no-obligation consultation.

At The Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee unless we achieve a recovery for you. We don’t get paid until you do.

 

 

klumpke’s palsy

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report there are 3,952,841 babies born each year in the United States.  Approximately one in every 1,000 of these births result in an injury to a baby’s brachial plexus – a webbed network of five nerves located below the neck and above each shoulder.  The brachial plexus controls movement and the sense of touch in the fingers, wrists, arms and shoulders. A brachial plexus injury may be the result of a medical provider’s mistake.

If the baby weighs too much (macrosomia) or has shoulders too wide for the birth canal (feto-pelvic disproportion), the baby’s shoulder can get caught (shoulder dystocia) on the mother’s pelvic bone during vaginal birth. When this happens, the baby’s head presents but the baby’s body does not descend through the birth canal.  Shoulder dystocia is an obstetrical emergency that requires immediate, safe and appropriate procedures to gently free the baby’s shoulders and deliver the baby.  If the doctors, nurses or other medical providers apply too much pressure (e.g., fundal pressure or lateral pressure) and/or pulling (traction) to the baby’s head, neck, arm and shoulders during delivery, the baby can suffer a brachial plexus injury such as stretching, tearing, rupture or avulsion of one or more of the five nerves which form the brachial plexus.

Different than Erb’s Palsy, which affects the upper brachial plexus nerves (specifically C5, C6 and C7), Klumpke’s Palsy results from an injury to the two lowest brachial plexus nerves (C8 to T1), which are responsible for controlling movement of the hand and forearm muscles. Therefore, while Klumpke’s Palsy and Erb’s Palsy can be caused by the same type of medical mistake, they’re still two very different injuries.

Symptoms of Klumpke’s Palsy include:

  • Claw hand
  • Drop wrist
  • Paralysis in the forearm and hand
  • Numbness in the forearm and hand

Treatment is limited for this type of hand and forearm injury. Surgery is recommended for damaged nerves that are unable to heal on their own. Additionally, physical therapy will be required. The cost of care for a child with Klumpke’s palsy, or any birth injury, is very high. If your child’s injury was caused by a medical mistake, the experienced Birth Injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group are here to help.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential, no-obligation consultation. When you call, you will speak with a Baltimore Birth Injury attorney with real experience absolutely free.

At The Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee unless we achieve a recovery for you. We don’t get paid until you do.

ERB’S PALSY

Posted on by YostLaw

Welcoming a new baby into the world can be one of the happiest days of your life. The most important and desired outcome on that special day is of course, a safe delivery, free of any harm to the baby and mother.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

A birth injury, characterized by damage to a baby’s brain or body function due to a harmful event that occurred at birth, may be the result of a medical mistake. Erb’s palsy, a disorder sometimes referred to as shoulder dystocia or brachial plexus palsy, is the result of damage to some, but not all, of the nerves which form the brachial plexus, a bundle of nerves responsible for moving the shoulder, arm, wrist and fingers.  Most typically, the Erb’s Palsy injury is a “stretch injury” (neuropraxia), but sometimes the injury involves torn nerve fibers, a completely torn nerve (nerve rupture) or, a nerve root torn from the spinal cord (nerve avulsion).  Erb’s Palsy is very often caused when the baby has been unnaturally or too forcefully pulled, twisted or jerked by a medical provider during the delivery period.

This harmful mistake causes significant injuries to the baby’s neck, injuring nerve roots C5 and C6, with C7 also affected in 50% of instances. Evident signs that a newborn has suffered an injury related to Erb’s palsy are as followed:

  • Inability to move arm or shoulder
  • Arm hangs limp with wrist and hand turned inward
  • Weak or absent reflexes
  • Decreased grip strength

If left untreated, Erb’s palsy may lead to:

  • Partial or full paralysis of arm and shoulder
  • Limited growth of the arm and hand
  • Permanent arm weakness and numbness
  • Deteriorating muscles (Muscle atrophy)

Although it may be possible for Erb’s palsy to resolve completely in the first year the infant’s life, no child should have to experience these devastating circumstances. Furthermore, if proper care is not administered after the preventable birth injury took place, your child may be permanently disabled.

If your child’s injury was caused by a medical mistake, the experienced Birth Injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group are here to help.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential, no-obligation consultation. When you call, you will speak with a Baltimore Birth Injury attorney with real experience absolutely free.

If we take your case, our legal team will investigate every detail surrounding your child’s birth injury and will help provide the answers you seek. Lastly, at The Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee unless we achieve a recovery for you. We don’t get paid until you do.

BLADDER INJURY DURING C-SECTION DELIVERY

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The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reports that Cesarean section (C-section) is the most common surgery performed in the United States. With more than 30% of deliveries resulting in caesarian section, it is important to be aware of childbirth-related injuries to the mother. Although surgery carries risks, bladder injury during cesarean delivery can be a direct result of medical negligence. A negligence claim related to C-section bladder damage may be filed for a number of reasons.

For example, if:

  • Injury, such as bladder laceration and/or ureter transection, occurs during the operation, but is not identified at the time of operation
  • The proper protocol was not taken for a woman who has had a cesarean section before (patients with prior cesarean deliveries are at significant risk for bladder injury at the time of the repeat cesarean delivery)
  • Timing of cesarean delivery was not properly handled by doctors (cesarean section performed at the time of the second stage of labor carries a significant risk for bladder injury)

The most common injury at the time of either obstetric or gynecologic surgery, such as a C-section, is a urologic injury, with the bladder being the most frequently damaged organ. Though not life-threatening when discovered at the time of the C-section, a bladder injury can be an extremely painful and unpleasant experience and lead to permanent injury such as loss of bladder retention, loss of bladder control,  urine leakage and a neurogenic bladder.  Treatment may require continuous bladder drainage through the use of a catheter and subsequent surgical procedures including fistula repair and bladder augmentation surgery.

If the bladder injury caused during a C-section is not discovered at the time of the C-section, the repair of the injury is delayed and this delay can be life-threatening.  If the bladder or ureters have been cut during C-section, serious symptoms will occur within just a few hours following the C-section, including blood in the urine, bloating of the abdomen, abdominal pain, abnormal urinalysis results (elevated BUN and creatinine levels) and infection, including peritonitis and sepsis, may develop.

If you or a loved one has experienced bladder complications during a cesarean section as a result of medical negligence, call The Yost Legal Group right away. If you have been a victim of a medical mistake, there is a limited time to file your claim. Call 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) today to speak with an experienced Baltimore Birth Injury attorney for FREE.

When you call The Yost Legal Group, Baltimore, Maryland Medical Malpractice and Birth Injury law firm, you will speak with an experienced, compassionate attorney that will help you understand the details of your case and provide the answers you need.

When you trust The Yost Legal Group to represent you, we will never charge an attorney’s fee unless we achieve a recovery for you.

Every mother has the right to a safe, healthy and extraordinary childbirth experience. If your pregnancy had a bad outcome, call The Yost Legal Group today.

 

 

The Yost Legal Group launches new TV commercial To Help Parents of Infants With Cerebral Palsy

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The CDC estimates that about 10,000 babies born every year in the United States suffer from cerebral palsy. What’s even more heartbreaking is that many of these cases are the result of a medical mistake by a doctor, nurse or other medical professional.

The Yost Legal Group works closely with parents of infants and young children diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy to help them to understand and pursue their legal rights if negligence was involved.
This commercial highlights how The Yost Legal Group investigates cases involving traumatic birth injuries and works to secure answers regarding every detail of your child’s birth injury or cerebral palsy diagnosis.

Cerebral palsy can be caused by obstetrical errors, such as:

• Failure to recognize signs of fetal distress
• Improper use of forceps
• Failure to perform a timely C-section
• Improper administration of medications
• Negligence in monitoring and treating newborns
• And more.

Bringing a child into this world should be one of the most gratifying, exciting times of your life but unfortunately this is not always the case. The Yost Legal Group has been helping parents handle serious traumatic birth injury claims for the past 30 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kftidOLfU9E

Protecting the Rights of Families and Children

The cost of care for a child with cerebral palsy, or any birth injury, is very high. If your child’s injury was caused by a medical mistake, the experienced Birth Injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group are here to help.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential, no-obligation consultation. When you call, you will speak with a Baltimore Birth Injury attorney with real experience absolutely free.

If we take your case, our legal team will investigate every detail surrounding your child’s birth injury and will help provide the answers you seek.

At The Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee unless we achieve a recovery for you. We don’t get paid until you do.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Understanding Kernicterus, a form of Brain Damage that occurs in Newborns as a Result of Jaundice

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Many babies are born with the yellow-tinted eyes and skin indicative of jaundice. Jaundice is caused by high levels of bilirubin, which is the yellow substance created as the body rids itself of old red blood cells.

The yellow tint of jaundice can be harder to see in babies with darker skin color. The best way to measure bilirubin is to take a small blood sample from a baby’s heel. If the bilirubin level is high (hyperbilirubinemia), treatment will begin and repeat blood samples will usually be taken to confirm the bilirubin level is dropping with treatment.

The majority of infants with jaundice are treated quickly and easily, and the condition often resolves on its own. When left untreated, however, severe jaundice can lead to permanent neurological damage.

Kernicterus, a form of brain damage, occurs in some newborns as a result of severe jaundice. If levels of bilirubin are extremely high, the bilirubin begins to collect in a baby’s brain tissue, causing extensive and permanent brain injury.

Babies with kernicterus exhibit particular symptoms. They may alternately seem “floppy” or without muscle tone and then arch their backs or exhibit extreme muscle tone. They are excessively sleepy or lethargic, feed poorly or not at all, and may have a high pitched cry.

At the earliest stages, much of the damage caused by jaundice is reversible. As the condition progresses to include the above-mentioned symptoms, however, it can result in permanent hearing loss, athetoid cerebral palsy, severe brain damage and even death.

If your child is exhibiting any of these symptoms, you should treat the situation as a medical emergency and contact the appropriate medical professional.

Kernicterus is almost always preventable. Hospitals should have an established protocol for assessing newborns with jaundice and quickly providing the care they require. Treatment of infants with kernicterus includes phototherapy, feeding with formula, rehydrating with IV fluids and performing blood transfusions if necessary.

Phototherapy lights should be placed as close to the baby as possible with as much of the baby’s body as possible exposed to the light (with eyes covered), because blue spectrum light causes bilirubin to breakdown into a non-toxic form that dissolves into water which can be eliminated from the baby’s body.

Feeding babies, whether by mouth or using a feeding tube, is also extremely important in reducing bilirubin levels in infants. Bilirubin is eliminated from the body via stool and feeding infants formula, such as Nutramigen, gives their bodies a way to eliminate the bilirubin and prevent bilirubin levels from continuing to rise. Blood transfusions may be required to lower very high bilirubin levels in the most severe cases.

If bilirubin treatment protocols are not followed, or if there is a delay or interruption in treatment, a child’s life is endangered and permanent brain injury occurs.

Unfortunately, medical mistakes contribute to the incidence of kernicterus in newborn babies. Some of these preventable mistakes include:

  • Doubting the extremely high bilirubin level reported form the lab, and waiting to start phototherapy and other treatment until a second lab result either confirms or corrects the abnormally high bilirubin level first reported;
  • Removing the infant from the phototherapy lights and stopping phototherapy in order to transport the infant for testing; and,
  • Measuring the bilirubin level but not comparing to the correct normal values (for example, a 24 hour old infant with a bilirubin level of 8.5 would be in the high risk category, but a 47 hour old infant with the same, 8.5, bilirubin level would be in the low risk category).

Because kernicterus is preventable with early detection, the fact that cases continue to surface is particularly deplorable.

No baby should suffer brain damage from untreated jaundice. One of the only options for a grieving family seeking justice is to begin a medical malpractice case.

If you would like to discuss your child’s potential claim arising from kernicterus, the attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. For a free consultation, please call us at 1-800-YOST-LAW (1-800-967-8529).

Study Finds Diabetes Drug Glyburide Increases Risk of Birth Injury among Pregnant Mothers

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A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s (JAMA) Pediatrics edition has found a strong link between the diabetes drug glyburide and several severe birth complications including respiratory distress, hypoglycemia, and large size for gestational age. Glyburide is a widely used drug prescribed to pregnant women to treat gestational diabetes mellitus, also known as diabetes developed during pregnancy or GDM.

Gestational Diabetes is a somewhat common condition that occurs in between 200,000 and 3 million women every year in the U.S. The JAMA study examined a large and diverse group of expecting mothers who had developed diabetes, or any degree of glucose intolerance, after becoming pregnant. After examining the results of the study, it was determined that women treated for Gestational Diabetes with the drug glyburide were far more likely to experience birth complications than mothers that were treated with normal insulin.

Mothers treated with glyburide were found to be at a higher risk to give birth to children that would require neonatal intensive care admission than those that received treatment with insulin. Children of mothers that were treated with glyburide were also found to be more likely to develop hypoglycemia, respiratory distress, birth injury, and were more likely to be large for their gestational age.

The study found that women treated for GDM with glyburide rather than insulin were:

  • 2.97% more likely to require neonatal intensive care unit admission
  • 1.41% more likely to give birth to a child that is large for gestational age
  • 1.11% more likely to give birth to a child with respiratory distress

Glyburide is currently a widely prescribed GDM medication for pregnant women all over the country. The results of this study have now called into question the safety and efficacy of the drug, and the JAMA concluded that much more significant testing must be done before the drug can be declared safe for use in expecting mothers.

Women who are pregnant must be meticulously careful about everything that they eat and drink, as well as what medications they take. Small changes in diet or prescription medication can have a lasting and dramatic impact on the health of a fetus, which is why it is so vitally important for drug manufacturers to properly test all medication before declaring a drug safe for use in pregnant women.

When mothers experience tragic birth injuries as a result of a defective or unsafe medication, drug manufacturers must be held accountable. At The Yost Legal Group, Baltimore, Maryland Defective Drug law firm, we aggressively litigate a wide array of defective drug cases, and have both the medical and legal knowledge required to pursue major insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

If you experienced any problems during birth, if your child was born with a birth defect, or if the birth resulted in trauma to the baby, call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529). When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Birth Injury attorney who will review your situation for free.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Lawyers Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

LEAD PAINT: The Hidden Threat to America’s Cities

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In 2013, the Center for Disease Control estimated that over 500,000 American children between the ages of 1 and 5 years old faced the severe medical dangers associated with lead poisoning. Despite the fact that federal law banned the use of lead-based paints in 1978, the lingering effects of this underrepresented health crisis are still prevalent today in many of America’s inner city neighborhoods.

Knowing the facts about lead paint can help you keep your children and loved ones safe from this public health hazard.

Research released by Colombia University’s David Rosner and CUNY’s Gerald Markowitz in their 2013 book Lead Wars estimates that some 30 million American homes still contain toxic lead-based paint. Homes built prior to 1978 pose the highest risk of containing lead paint. But even newer homes could contain undercoats of lead-based paint that remain a health threat years or even decades after their installation.

Children can become exposed to unsafe levels of lead after walls containing lead-based paint are damaged through normal wear and tear, renovation, leaks, sanding, and even drilling or nailing.

Possible signs of lead poisoning in children are:

  • Tiredness or loss of energy
  • Hyperactivity
  • Irritability or crankiness
  • Reduced attention span
  • Poor appetite and weight loss
  • Reduced attention span
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Constipation
  • Aches or pains in stomach

Before you begin any type of home renovation, be sure to contact your landlord, real estate agent or contractor to ensure that you take the necessary precautions. Even as walls containing lead-based paint are being removed, clouds of lead flakes can remain behind on floors, carpets, or window sills. In fact, Rosner and Markowitz’s maintain that many children are often exposed to lead poisoning during the removal process itself.

One study conducted in the 1990s by an affiliate research institution of Johns Hopkins University found that Baltimore city had the highest lead poisoning rates for children in the country. Baltimore residents should consult their medical professional as well as the Center for Disease Control’s Lead Prevention Program for advice and steps to take.

If you feel you or your child has been exposed to unsafe levels of lead due to negligence or poor building upkeep, contact The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529). The Yost Legal Group is experienced in aggressively litigating lead paint exposure claims.

The Yost Legal Group has successfully protected the rights of many families exposed to this serious health risk. If you feel you are at risk, don’t hesitate to call today for a free consultation.

Cerebral Palsy Birth Injury Claim

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Cerebral palsy is one of the most traumatic birth injuries a newborn can experience. While there are several causes of this severe diagnosis, sometimes cerebral palsy can be a result of medical mistake by a healthcare provider who was responsible for assisting in your child’s birth.

The birth injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group have the experience and resources to assist families in need of representation as a result of the negligent acts of others who contribute to a child’s diagnosis of cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is the medical term used to describe chronic disorders that impair control of movement due to damage to a baby’s developing brain. Roughly 20% of babies diagnosed with congenital cerebral palsy are a result of brain injury during the birthing process. The most common reason is due to the lack of oxygen to a baby’s brain during labor and birth.

About 10,000 infants are diagnosed with cerebral palsy each year and The United Cerebral Palsy Association estimates that more than 764,000 Americans are living with cerebral palsy.

When medical malpractice is linked to a child’s diagnosis of cerebral palsy, the most common reasons are:

–          Failure to recognize signs of fetal distress
–          Failure to order a timely C-section
–          Failure to act on dangerous fetal heart rate fluctuations
–          Failure of timely treatment for meningitis or jaundice
–          Failure to treat a prolapsed cord
–          Remaining in the birth canal for too long
–          Excessive use of vacuum extraction
–          Improper use of forceps
–          Improperly administered medications
–          Negligence in monitoring and/or treating the newborn

Birth injury lawsuits begin with a medical professional’s opinion that supports your case and the facts showing the negligent healthcare provider failed to treat the infant within established standards of care.

If you have questions about your child’s birth injury or cerebral palsy diagnosis, call The Yost Legal Group for help at 1-800-Yost-Law.

An experienced birth injury attorney will investigate the circumstances of the injury, identify the facts surrounding your child’s birth injury or birth trauma and gather information necessary to support understand what happened.

The Yost Legal Group is experienced in helping individuals and their families who are victims of birth injury and medical malpractice. The Yost Legal Group has the experience to investigate your case, determine what negligence was involved and fight to protect your right to full and fair compensation.

If you or a family member has been the victim of the negligent acts of others, experienced a birth injury such as cerebral palsy, or are the victims of medical malpractice, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer. Do not try to handle your claim on your own.

Contact The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-Yost-Law (1-800-967-8529) to speak with an experienced Baltimore birth injury attorney for free. One of our experienced lawyers will work hard to protect your rights and handle of the details surrounding your case. If someone was at fault, we will fight to get you the compensation and the justice you deserve.

To find out more about your rights, please contact the experienced and knowledgeable birth injury attorneys at The Yost Legal Group.

Call 1-800-YOST-LAW (1-800-967-8529) to speak with one of our experienced birth injury attorneys today.

The Yost Legal Group will help you find answers. If you have questions, call to speak with an experienced Baltimore personal injury lawyer for help.

The Yost Legal Group, Experienced Lawyers Dedicated to Protecting your Rights.

Birth Injuries Alarmingly High in U.S.

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While our country boasts some of the best hospitals and doctors in the world, the U.S. has a surprisingly high infant mortality rate, ranking 180th in the world for infant deaths. Thousands of babies do not survive the birthing process and even more experience defect or deformity at birth.

A birth injury is defined as any damage or injury to the infant’s body occurring before, during, or slightly after the child’s birth. Birth injuries vary from minor, easily resolved issues to issues so severe the infant does not survive. Complications of pregnancy or labor such as prolonged labor, where the baby is unusually small or large or when the baby is in a difficult position during labor and delivery, can bring about difficulties for a newborn.

Bringing a new baby into this world should be the most joyous time for a family, however, this is not always the case. There are thousands of women whose infants experience birth injury or death due to the negligence or malpractice on behalf of the doctor or hospital where the baby is delivered.

Maryland is home to one of our country’s landmark cases in a birth injury. In 2012, a Baltimore Circuit Court judge awarded one family $55 million in their law suit against John Hopkins Hospital. The court found the hospital negligent for waiting two hours to perform an emergency C-section on a mother whose baby was in distress. As a result, the baby boy was born with permanent and severe mental and physical disabilities.

Traumatic birth injuries include:
• Erb’s Palsy
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Brain Stem Injuries
• Closed Head Injury
• Anoxia and Hypoxia
• Infections
• Seizures
• Stillbirths
• Prenatal asphyxia
• Shoulder Dystocia
• Fractures
• Failure to Notice Fetal Distress
• Spinal cord trauma
• Intracranial hemorrhage

Financial compensation can assist in getting families the support they deserve, but birth injury law suits can also serve as a way to highlight unsafe practices at medical facilities and prevent further negligent acts of hospitals and physicians.

You will carry the burden and expense of your child’s care for a lifetime. To find out more about your rights, and how you can obtain the compensation you deserve to help you care for your child, please contact the experienced and knowledgeable birth injury attorneys at The Yost Legal Group.

If your child has suffered from birth defect, birth injury or wrongful death in Baltimore MD or Northern Virginia, call 1-800-YOST-LAW (1-800-967-8529) to speak with one of our experienced attorneys today.

The Yost Legal Group Birth Injury Law Group will help you find answers. If you have questions, call to speak with a experienced birth injury lawyer for help.

The Yost Legal Group, Experienced Lawyers Dedicated to Protecting your Rights.

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