West Virginia Birth Injury Attorney

The Fitzsimmons Law Firm is comprised of some of the top medical malpractice attorneys in the country. If someone in your family has suffered a birth injury, contact a West Virginia birth injury lawyer from our firm today. We may be able to help you determine if the birth injury was caused by medical malpractice or negligence, and help you with your case against the medical provider whose negligence caused the injury. Contact us today to get started.

Types of Birth Injuries

Birth injuries range from minor and resolvable, such as an injury caused by the forceps that a doctor uses, to severe and extreme injuries, some of which can lead to permanent physical or mental damage. Click on the links below to learn more about the different types of birth injuries that you may be able to take legal action for.

Common Causes of Birth Injuries Medical negligence is a common cause of birth injuries. If your doctor stops paying attention, even for a second, you or your child can sustain a birth injury. Certain types of birth injuries can lead to even more detrimental illnesses or injuries. A birth injury needs to be treated immediately, or it can have a lasting effect on the baby. Read more about common causes of birth injuries...

FAQ Questions about what may constitute medical negligence, birth injuries, and the legal recourse available to the victims of birth injuries can be found here. If you believe your loved one suffered from a birth injury, read this page to find out more information and to find out if we can help you with your malpractice suit. Read more frequently asked questions...

Brachial Plexus A brachial plexus injury may cause limpness, numbness, lack of sensation, and lack of mobility in a baby's arm and hand. The brachial plexus is a grouping of nerves that run from the shoulder to the spine and which can be injured or torn during birth if extreme care is not taken. Read more about brachial plexus...

Cerebral Palsy Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition for which there is no cure. Cerebral palsy can sometimes occur as a result of head trauma or other injuries that can occur during birth. With treatment and physical therapy, children with cerebral palsy can become very high functioning. However, cerebral palsy can be prevented in some cases by being extra careful and cautious with a child, especially preventing head injuries. Read more about Cerebral Palsy...

C-section Injuries Injuries can occur to the child during C-section. In some cases, the child can be cut or suffer a laceration due to the incision that is being made in the mother's stomach. Often times these cuts may require stitches. Additionally, a lack of oxygen can occur if the umbilical cord is bent or twisted during the procedure. Read more about C-section injuries...

Erb's Palsy Erb's palsy is another condition that can lead to paralysis of an infant's arm due to an injury of the brachial plexus nerves. This generally happens with the shoulder is injured during a difficult birth. If the injury is severe enough surgery may be required, which can be very dangerous for an infant to go through. Read more about Erb's Palsy...

Fetal Distress Fetal distress is a term that is used to describe any number of signs a doctor may observe that indicates a fetus is unwell or ill. This can include lack of mobility of the fetus, decrease or increase in the fetus's heart rate, and many other signs of abnormality. If a doctor observes these signs too late, or observes them but does not act to treat them, a birth injury can occur. Read more about fetal distress...

Forceps Injuries Forceps injuries can occur when a doctor applies too much force on the forceps that are sometimes used to help grasp a baby as it is being born. Forceps may be required during a delivery if the baby is facing the wrong direction, if the baby is larger than normal, or if the mother is having difficulty pushing. However, forceps, if used improperly, may cause nerve damage in a baby. Read more about forceps injuries...

Improper Fetal Monitoring During delivery, the baby can begin to suffer trauma and distress. If there are complications with the delivery, it is very important that health providers closely monitor the baby throughout the process. An increased or decreased heart beat can be an indication that something is wrong. If these signs are not closely monitored, a birth injury can occur. Read more about improper fetal monitoring...

Infant Brain Damage Brain damage can occur in an infant during a difficult delivery. However, often times, the brain damage may have been preventable if proper treatment had been given to the baby sooner. One of the biggest causes of infant brain damage is a lack of oxygen. Head trauma during delivery can also cause brain damage. Read more about infant brain damage...

Labor & Delivery Malpractice Sometimes simple mistakes in the delivery room can cause harmful brain injuries to newborns. Errors in medication, anesthesia, diagnoses, and treatments can all be causes of an eventual birth injury. Most of these mistakes are entirely preventable by doctors and nurses, but occur due to negligence and poor attention to detail. Read more about labor and delivery malpractice...

Mental Retardation Mental retardation is a disorder that occurs when the brain has very low cognitive function. This can be caused by birth injuries, especially those that inhibit development of the baby. Lack of oxygen, extremely premature birth, low birth weight, and other complications during delivery can all lead to mental retardation. Read more about mental retardation...

Oxygen Deficiency Oxygen deficiency is one of the leading causes of birth injuries. A lack of oxygen to the baby can have far reaching permanent affects, including brain damage and mental retardation. Often, this tragic incident is avoidable if doctors and nurses are paying closer attention to monitoring the baby. Read more about oxygen deficiency...

Pre-Eclampsia / Eclampsia Women who are pre-eclampsia require close monitoring by their doctors. Pre-eclampsia can be a result of hypertension. If pre-eclampsia is left untreated, it can lead to eclampsia. Eclampsia is preventable if treated properly by doctors during the pregnancy. Eclampsia, if left untreated, can in turn lead to birth injuries to the mother and the baby. Read more about pre-eclampsia and eclampsia...

Shoulder Dystocia Shoulder dystocia is a very dangerous situation during the delivery of a baby in which the head is delivered, but the shoulders become stuck in the birth canal. This can lead to infant death because of pressure and strain on the umbilical cord. There are certain procedures that should be employed in this circumstance and if doctors do not adhere to these procedures,, the infant can be injured or killed. Read more about shoulder dystocia...

Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) Women may develop pregnancy induced hypertension after being 20 weeks pregnant because of protein in the urine and other reasons. It is very important to have hypertension in pregnant women closely monitored because it can lead to other complications in the pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia, and eclampsia. These conditions can be life threatening to the fetus and can cause difficult complications during delivery. Read more about pregnancy induced hypertension...

Birth Injury Attorney Serving West Virginia

The Fitzsimmons firm can help victims of these and other birth injuries that were due to medical negligence. If your infant suffered a birth injury, monetary compensation is never enough to balance the losses you face, but you will have huge medical bills and will want to spare no expense for whatever treatment your infant may require. The firm has won multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for our clients, and they may be able to help you if your child suffered a birth injury due to medical negligence.

If your infant suffered a birth injury and sustained far-reaching medical complications as a result, contact a West Virginia birth injury attorney from the firm today.