Traumatic brain injury may occur as the result of any number of accidents. It may also happen before or after birth.
The last thing anyone would want to happen is to find out that their newborn sustained traumatic brain injury while being born. Sadly, this does happen and far more often than we would like. Brain damage may happen after the birth or before birth. In the case of after birth injuries, you would be dealing with non-traumatic injuries, acquired brain damage or traumatic brain injury. Before birth, any injuries to the brain are typically referred to as congenital brain injuries.
After birth brain trauma is often caused by someone else, perhaps an individual who was negligent in performing their medical duties, typically a doctor and/or nurses. If this happened to your child, you may be able to hold the hospital, doctor and nursing staff responsible for the brain damage to your child. Even if you are not sure whether or not you have a case, speak to a skilled Cleveland medical malpractice lawyer, have your case evaluated and find out what your legal rights are and what could happen if you choose to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Just to give you some idea of the differences between congenital and other types of brain damage, let’s take a quick look at congenital brain injury. In cases like that, the damage may be the result of trauma, anoxia, poisoning, infection, hypoxia or a genetic defect. Any of these circumstances will present themselves in the form of Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, dyslexia or epilepsy.
What causes cerebral palsy? There are a number of causes that include premature birth, infection, birth trauma, a poor blood supply to the baby or inadequate oxygen levels. There are also infant diseases like meningitis and encephalitis. In other words, there is no one definitive cause for cerebral palsy. It is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
An example of another birth disorder is Down syndrome, indicating the presence of an extra chromosome in every cell. This may lead to heart conditions, gastrointestinal difficulties and mental retardation. This is generally a genetic defect. Fetal alcohol syndrome is usually the result of the mother drinking during her pregnancy – a disastrous scenario for the fetus that may present with low birth weight, retardation, CNS problems and growth and behavioral challenges.
The whole point is that giving birth is an endeavor full of challenges and potential problems. One untoward slip of the hand by the doctor, the administration of the wrong drug at the wrong time, a delayed response to fetal distress, a delayed C-section or a botched delivery using forceps and a child may be left mentally impaired for the rest of his or her life. In cases like that, only a seasoned Cleveland medical malpractice lawyer can get you the justice you deserve.
Christopher Mellino is a Cleveland Malpractice Lawyer specializing in Cleveland Medical Malpractice cases in Ohio. To learn more, visit Christophermellino.com.
