Two types of birth injures may occur during the birth delivery process, injuries from a lack of oxygen to the brain and injuries from trauma. Both types of injuries can result in birth paralysis. An example of an injury from lack of oxygen to the brain would be a medical emergency where a C-section is required but the doctor failed to perform the C-section quickly enough or even at all. The failure to provide a timely cesarean section could result in paralysis, including cerebral palsy. The condition of the cerebral palsy can range from mild to severe.
A birth injury resulting from trauma may occur if the doctor used too much force with the forceps or vacuum device. For example, if the baby is too large to exit the birth canal naturally, the doctor may need to use forceps or a vacuum device to assist with the delivery. However, extreme care must be taken to ensure that the doctor does not cause damage to the baby's head, nerves, or body parts. In a difficult delivery situation like this, the doctor may need to twist and turn the head of the infant to help the baby exit the birth canal. If the doctor isn't careful, he or she may apply too much force which can cause extensive nerve damage to the spinal cord, arms, shoulders, or legs, resulting in paralysis. A type of birth injury that may occur in this situation is a brachial plexus injury, which can cause
erbs palsy.
Brachial plexus is a collection of nerves that exit the spinal cord in the neck and supply the nerve impulses to the arms. If the doctor is not careful when twisting and turning the baby's head to exit the birth canal during a difficult delivery, the brachial plexus nerves can be stretched and damaged, even pulled out of their sockets, which may cause a partial or complete paralysis of the arm on the side affected. This type of paralysis is called erbs palsy.
Medical malpractice can cause the following types of paralysis:
Quadriplegia – Paralysis of both arms and legs
Paraplegia – Paralysis of the legs
Diplegia – Paralysis of symmetrical parts of the body. This may include diplegia in the arms, legs, or face
Klumpkes Palsy – Paralysis of the lower arm, wrist, and hand
Erbs Palsy – Paralysis of only the shoulder and upper arm
Cerebral Palsy – refers to a number of neurological disorders which permanently affect muscle coordination and body movement. Unlike the paralysis areas listed above, cerebral palsy is not caused by trauma injuries in the muscle or nerves, but instead by abnormalities in the areas of the brain that control muscle movement
Since paralysis such as paraplegia, quadriplegia, diplegia, erbs palsy, or cerebral palsy are life-long for the victim, and will require expensive medical care; if a doctor, medical professional, or hospital is responsible for the paralysis, they need to pay for the lifetime of medical care necessary for the victim. Retaining the services of an experienced birth injury lawyer is critical for obtaining the largest settlement possible.