Tag: birth injury lawyers baltimore

Vacuum-Assisted Delivery And Birth Injury

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Sometimes, during the labor and delivery process, the baby needs a little help getting through the birth canal. Approximately 1 out of 20 vaginal deliveries in the United States result in some form of assistance being required. Prolonged labor can be dangerous to the baby as well as extremely painful and exhausting to the mother. Two common forms of assisted delivery, used by medical providers to when labor is stalled, are vacuum extraction and forceps delivery.

Vacuum extraction involves placing a small round cup on the baby’s head, which attaches to a vacuum pump creating suction to help guide the baby out of the birth canal. If performed incorrectly, suction during vacuum extraction can cause permanent and even life-threatening injuries, including: massive bleeding (hemorrhage and hypovolemic shock) beneath the scalp or within the brain (intracranial hemorrhage and encephalopathy); brain damage; skull fracture; and, retinal hemorrhage. Forceps delivery (another assisted delivery method), can also cause skull fractures, skull bleeding, and bruising on the baby’s head and face. These injuries have been known to cause permanent brain damage, neurological injuries and more specifically, cerebral palsy (CP).

In the hands of an inexperienced or untrained physician, a vacuum-assisted or forceps-assisted delivery can cause you and your child serious and permanent injuries. The cost of care for a child with cerebral palsy, or any birth injury, is very high. If your child’s birth injury was caused by a complication during vacuum-assisted or forceps-assisted delivery, contact The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (800-403-7259). When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Medical Malpractice attorney absolutely FREE.

We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front, and you owe us nothing unless we win your case. The attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced, caring professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. Call us today to receive a free, confidential consultation about your possible case. A The Yost Legal Group, there is no fee or expense unless you recover.

 

Group B Strep Infection Causing Birth Injury

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Group B streptococcus (GBS), is a bacterium that can cause serious infections in newborn babies. It is one of many types of streptococcal bacteria, commonly referred to as “strep.” Approximately one in three to four pregnant women in the US carries GBS. It is found in the lower part of the digestive system (colon) and/or in the vagina.

GBS is not harmful to healthy adults but is extremely dangerous for newborn infants when found in pregnant women. Signs and symptoms of neonatal GBS are often very difficult to detect. Newborns who are infected with GBS can develop pneumonia (lung infection), sepsis and septic shock (systemic infection, with or without organ failure), meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord), and septicemia (blood infection).

Complications associated with neonatal GBS can be prevented by giving an intravenous antibiotic during labor to any woman whose baby is at risk of GBS infection. These women can be identified by bacteriological screening, involving taking swabs from the vagina and rectum, or by risk-factor-based screening. All pregnant women should be screened for GBS.

Your newborn baby is at risk of GBS infection if, during your pregnancy:

  • You have a urine culture during your current pregnancy showing GBS
  • You have a vaginal and rectal swab culture during your current pregnancy showing GBS
  • You had a prior pregnancy during which you or your baby had GBS

Therefore, it is important that your medical provider tests for this type of infection to avoid an otherwise preventable birth injury. If GBS is diagnosed and not treated during pregnancy, it is medical negligence.

If you or a loved one feel you are the victim of a medical mistake contact The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (800-403-7259). When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Medical Malpractice attorney absolutely FREE.

We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front, and you owe us nothing unless we win your case.

Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy

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Cerebral palsy, or CP, is one of the most common birth injuries associated with medical negligence in the United States. This serious medical condition is the result of an injury to the baby’s brain, including brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery. Cerebral palsy can be categorized into different forms, based on the degree of brain damage and the area/areas of the body affected.  Forms of cerebral palsy include dyskinetic CP, spastic CP, and ataxic CP.

Dyskinetic CP results from damage to the basal ganglia of the brain (responsible for regulating voluntary movement) and is associated with a number of symptoms that cause muscle tone to fluctuate between being loose and tight. The different forms of dyskinesia include, dystonia, athetosis, and chorea, and result from damage to slightly different structures within the basal ganglia.

Characteristics of dystonia include painful muscle contractions, causing slow twisting or repetitive movement, and a disabling, rigid posture. Athetosis is characterized by slow, continuous, involuntary, writhing movements that may cause those affected to appear restless. People with chorea experience brief, abrupt involuntary movements and may appear fidgety.

It is the medical staff’s responsibility to consistently monitor the baby’s heart rate and the mother’s contraction rate. When signs of fetal distress go unnoticed, the baby can suffer from oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery, which is an obstetrical emergency. Consequences of such negligence can result in permanent brain injury, such as dyskinetic CP, when the baby suffers brain damage from lack of oxygen (hypoxia or anoxia) during labor and delivery.

The cost of care for a child with brain damage, is very high. If your child’s brain injury was caused by a medical mistake at birth, 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, there is no fee or expense unless you recover.ysys

Spastic Cerebral Palsy at Birth

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Spastic cerebral palsy is a permanent loss of muscle control caused by an injury to the brain resulting from a variety of causes, one of which is a lack of oxygen to the baby during labor and delivery.

Spastic CP is characterized by involuntary movement of the arms and legs, uncontrolled muscle spasms and can also affect the muscles controlling speech and swallowing.  Spastic CP can affect all four limbs, neck and torso (tetraplegia), both arms and both legs (quadriplegia), or only one arm or leg (monoplegia) but most commonly affects the arm and leg on one side of the body, only (hemiplegia).  Less commonly, spastic quadriplegia can affect three limbs (triplegia).

Poor coordination and balance, a complete inability to relax tightened muscles, difficulty walking, talking and eating are all common complications of spastic CP.  For those who suffer from this neurological disorder, affected joints become very stiff and hard to move.  Over time, the affected arms or legs may become extremely painful and interfere with the ability to function independently or even to sit in a comfortable position

Birth injuries, such as spastic cerebral palsy, can be the direct result of medical negligence.  It is important for medical providers to consistently monitor the baby’s heart rate and the mother’s contraction rate to identify if the baby is experiencing a lack of oxygen during the entire course of labor and delivery. If a complication, such as a very low (bradycardia) or very high (tachycardia) fetal heart rate is identified in a timely manner, medical providers can respond immediately to fetal distress.  A baby’s lack of oxygen during labor and delivery is an obstetrical emergency and can result in permanent brain injury such as spastic CP.

There are a number of treatments available for the management of spastic CP. However, the cost of care for a child with cerebral palsy, or any brain damage, is very high. If your child’s brain 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, there is no fee or expense unless you recover.

Placenta Previa and Hypoxic Brain Injury

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Placenta previa occurs when the placenta lies low in the uterus and partially or completely covers the cervix.  When this happens, the placenta is lying between the fetus and the birth canal, effectively blocking the baby’s delivery. Although placenta previa is quite common in the early weeks and months of pregnancy, it typically resolves as the pregnancy progresses and the placenta moves up and away from the cervix as the uterus expands.

However, placenta previa does not always resolve itself. It affects about 1 in 200 births, at which time it can create the risk of severe bleeding (hemorrhage) in the mother and lack of oxygen to the baby (hypoxia). When placenta previa is present near the end of pregnancy it almost always requires cesarean (c-section) delivery of the baby.

Placenta previa should always be suspected when bright red vaginal bleeding occurs during pregnancy, at which time an ultrasound should be ordered and the condition can be diagnosed by the ultrasound images.  If ultrasound confirms placenta previa is the cause of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, the proper course of treatment is to admit the patient to the hospital for monitoring and bedrest. If the bleeding does not stop, or if the fetal heartrate monitor indicates the baby is in distress, the pregnant mother will remain hospitalized and may receive blood transfusions and other treatments until the baby is delivered.

Lack of oxygen to the baby’s brain due to a ruptured placenta previa can cause serious brain damage. Birth asphyxia, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy are brain injuries that are caused by oxygen deprivation. The treatment for these complications is limited due to the fact that most brain damage is permanent.

Our experienced attorneys fight for individuals who have been negatively impacted by the negligence of others.  If you would like to discuss your family’s potential claim arising from a placenta previa birth injury, 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-YOSTLAW.

ERB’S PALSY

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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.

Umbilical Cord Prolapse is Linked to Hypoxic Brain Injury in Children

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When a woman is pregnant, the umbilical cord is what connects the mother to the developing fetus, acting as a lifeline for the child. It allows the supply of nourishment and oxygen for necessary development. Unfortunately, one in every 300 births involves an umbilical cord prolapse (UCP). An umbilical cord prolapse occurs when part of the umbilical cord gets ahead of the baby, and comes through the cervix and into the birth canal before the baby does. This pinches the umbilical cord and causes a reduction or complete cut-off of the oxygen supply to the fetus. If untreated, umbilical cord prolapse can result in birth injuries due to lack of oxygen (hypoxia) including: cerebral palsy, developmental delays, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), or even death of the child.

Signs of Umbilical Cord Prolapse Include:

  • Abnormal fetal heart rate pattern
  • Fetal heart rate drop, often sudden and sustained, to a heart rate lower than 120 bpm
  • The doctor performing a pelvic exam and finding either:
    – The umbilical cord protruding through the cervix or in the vagina ahead of the baby
    – The umbilical cord in an incorrect position

Once it is discovered that the mother and child are experiencing UCP, it is important that the correct steps are taken to ensure their safety. UCP can be corrected by a doctor or physician if the proper steps are taken. Procedures may include changing the mothers positioning to relieve pressure on the umbilical cord, using a vacuum to extract the baby quickly if she is giving birth at the time, or a C-section delivery may be vital.

Complications due to umbilical cord prolapse are the cause of preventable hypoxic brain injury in children.  Cerebral palsy is one of the injuries which can occur due to untreated umbilical cord prolapse.  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.

Our experienced attorneys fight for individuals who have been negatively impacted by the negligence of others.  If you would like to discuss your child’s potential claim arising from HIE or CP, the Birth Injury 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-YOSTLAW.

HIE and Cerebral Palsy Impact Thousands of Infants Every Year

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Birth injuries and birth trauma are far too common in the United States. Every year, thousands of infants will be born with life-threatening conditions that are the result of a medical mistake by a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional. The most serious birth injuries are caused when a lack of oxygen damages a child’s brain. At the Yost Legal Group, our legal team wants to educate people about the dangers of these injuries, as well as their causes, symptoms and treatments.

When a shortage of oxygen (hypoxia) also causes the fetal heart rate to slow (ischemia) the infant has suffered a hypoxic-ischemic episode. If the oxygen and blood flow to the baby’s brain are interrupted during labor and delivery, even if the interruption is only for a short time, the baby may suffer a type of permanent brain damage called hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE.

While HIE is the cause of many cases of cerebral palsy in infants, babies are often diagnosed with HIE years before a CP diagnosis is made. Here are some additional statistics about HIE which show how serious this problem is in the United States:

  • HIE caused by neonatal asphyxia is the leading cause of infant fatalities in the U.S.
  • Between 15-28% of all incidents of cerebral palsy are the result of HIE
  • The incidence rate of HIE among premature babies is as high as 60%

Cerebral palsy is one of the most costly neurologic disabilities in children because of its frequency (2 in every 1000 live births) and its lifelong disabling impact. 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 claim arising from HIE or CP, 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 (967-8529).

Important Facts About Cerebral Palsy: Signs & Symptoms

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Every year thousands of expectant parents and new born babies suffer birth injuries that might have been prevented.

One of the most common birth injuries is cerebral palsy. At The Yost Legal Group, we want to help spread awareness about cerebral palsy by providing facts and resources to help families.

Does my Child have Cerebral Palsy?

It can be extremely difficult for parents and even for doctors to recognize the early signs of cerebral palsy in new born babies. Some children do not demonstrate the early signs of cerebral palsy until they are three or even four years old.

However, some early signs to watch for that may be evidence of cerebral palsy include:

  • In Babies Younger than 6 Months: Your baby feels either extremely stiff or extremely floppy when held. When picked up and cradled, your baby’s legs may become stiff and cross or scissor, and your baby’s head may lag.
  • In Babies Older than 6 Months: Your baby cannot roll over in either direction; cannot bring his or her hands together; or, your baby has difficulty bringing his or her hands to his mouth, and cannot reach out with both hands simultaneously.
  • In Babies Older than 10 Months: Your baby cannot crawl on all fours; or, your baby either crawls by reaching out with one hand and leg while dragging the other, or moves by either hopping on his knees or scooting on his buttocks.

Cerebral palsy can take many forms, meaning that a child may have cerebral palsy even if he or she does not demonstrate all of the above behaviors. One of the most reliable ways for you as parents to spot the early signs of cerebral palsy is to closely monitor your child’s development.

If you notice that your  baby is not reaching certain developmental milestones within your pediatrician’s timeframe, such developmental delay could be an early indication of cerebral palsy.

What is Developmental Delay?

All children will grow and mature at their own pace, but there are certain markers of movement and motor function that indicate that a child is developing at a normal rate. Developmental Delay occurs when a child fails to reach specific motor skill milestones in a timely manner. Below are some important milestones for motor-skill development, along with when they usually occur:

  • Around 6 weeks: Child can begin to smile
  • Around 3 to 4 months: Child can reach for toys and roll on to their back
  • Around 6 to 7 months: Child can sit up on their own
  • Around 10 to 14 months: Child begins to walk

It is important to note that if your child has not reached one or more of these milestones in the suggested time frame, it does not necessarily mean they have cerebral palsy; however, these milestones often offer a strong early indicator of the disability.

What are the Signs & Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

If you notice any of the above signs or early indications of Developmental Delay, it is important to see a doctor right away. When examining a child and attempting to detect cerebral palsy, doctors will focus on eight clinical signs related to:

  • Muscle tone
  • Movement Coordination and Control
  • Reflex
  • Posture
  • Balance
  • Gross Motor Function
  • Fine Motor Function
  • Oral Motor Function

Each one of these eight clinical signs has certain criteria and symptoms that doctors will closely monitor during an examination. Doctors will examine a child to see if there is evidence of developmental impairment in any or all of these categories.

Protecting The Rights of Families and Children

Cerebral palsy is a permanent injury that often requires a lifetime of medical care and therapy. The cost of care for a child with cerebral palsy or any birth injury can be astronomical. 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.

The Yost Legal Group’s Baltimore Medical Malpractice and Birth Injury law firm, will work hard to secure the justice and financial compensation you and your family deserve.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) to receive a FREE, confidential and no-obligation consultation about your birth injury case. 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

Head Injuries From Athletics is a Serious Matter

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The Fall is here, which means so is football season. Recently, the Baltimore Ravens played the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unfortunately, the Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown left the game briefly during the first quarter due to a head injury he sustained when tackled by Ravens player Darian Stewart.

While Brown was able to return to the game after passing concussion protocol, it is important to note that he is one of the lucky ones. Sometimes, head injuries are life threatening, and often times, severe symptoms do not progress until a lot of time has passed after the injury occurred.

The experienced traumatic brain injury attorneys at The Yost Legal Group have represented too many people affected by similar injuries at no fault of their own.

The leading cause of traumatic brain injuries are falls; however, they can be caused by a multitude of factors, including car accidents, sports injuries, defective products and medical malpractice.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an acquired injury occurring when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. TBI can be the outcome when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, or when an object pierces the scull and enters brain tissue.

Symptoms of TBI can be mild, moderate or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain.

Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury can include but are not limited to the following:

–          Headache
–          Confusion
–          Dizziness
–          Blurred vision
–          Ringing in ears
–          Bad taste in mouth
–          Fatigue
–          Memory loss
–          Nausea
–          Convulsions
–          Slurred speech
–          Loss of coordination
–          Confusion

Little can be done to reverse the initial brain damage caused by a trauma. Medical personnel will try to stabilize TBI victims and focus on preventing further injury. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, approximately half of traumatic brain injury victims will need surgery to repair hematomas (ruptured blood vessels) or contusions (bruised brain tissue). Often times this will leave patients and their families ill-equipped to cope with the medical, financial and legal issues stemming from such serious injuries.

The dedicated traumatic brain injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group work closely with victims to help them get a proper diagnosis and pursue the full amount of compensation for their financial needs. If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, The Yost Legal Group can help.

Have you or a family member suffered a traumatic brain injury? TBI victims and their families may be entitled to pursue a claim to recover out-of-pocket medical expenses, loss of earnings, pain and suffering, punitive damages and long-term care.

The Yost Legal Group is experienced in helping individuals and families who are victims of traumatic brain 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 suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident, contact the experienced, caring attorneys at The Yost Legal Group. The experienced Baltimore Maryland traumatic brain injury lawyers, will work hard to investigate the facts surrounding your situation, get to the truth and see that justice is served.

We are here solely to help you and your family seek the justice and the compensation you need to help care for the needs of your family member with a traumatic brain injury.

Contact The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-Yost-Law (1-800-967-8529) to speak with an experienced Traumatic Brain Injury attorney for free. One of our experienced lawyers will work hard to protect your rights and handle all 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 traumatic brain injury attorneys at The Yost Legal Group.

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

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