Birth Injury to Baby / Infant Death

Houston Birth Injury Attorney

When injuries occur during childbirth, the effects are both devastating and heartbreaking for everyone involved. Although Houston has a reputation for being one of the top cities for obstetrical care and quality medical centers in the country, tragic birth injuries to newborns still occur. These injuries are usually the result of medical misjudgments that are made in the delivery room or during pre or postnatal care. When this type of negligence results in an injury to a newborn child, legal action is usually necessary to receive compensation for the damages suffered.

At Wilhite & Lea, we focus on helping families recover from birth injuries to their newborn child. There is no excuse for medical negligence in the delivery room. Health care providers are obligated to provide adequate medical care throughout all stages of childbirth. If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic injury, birth defect, or infant death; contact us to evaluate your case and advise you of your legal right to recover compensation.

Attorney George W. Wilhite is board certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Our firm has been representing families and victims of birth-related injuries and birth defects in the Houston area for over 40 years. If you have suffered from this type of medical malpractice anywhere in the Houston area, including: Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Grimes, Waller, or Washington Counties, contact us to discuss your case with one of our attorneys during your free consultation.

Types of Birth Injuries to Newborns

There are thousands of different types of birth defects and other injuries that can occur during childbirth, some of these include excessive bruising, bone fractures, and other serious conditions, including:

Birth Defects – Congenital defects or abnormalities of structure, function, or body metabolism that are present at birth.

Cerebral Palsy – Motor conditions that can affect brain and nervous system functions such as movement, hearing, and cognitive abilities. These conditions vary in severity and can often lead to permanent disability.

Spastic Quadriplegia – The most serious and most disabling form of Cerebral Palsy. Spastic quadriplegia affects the entire body. Patient may not be able to walk, speak, or control their muscles.

Erb’s Palsy – Paralysis of the arm caused by injury to the upper brachial plexus (group of nerve fibers in the spine that send signals to muscles in the shoulders, arms, and hands).

Klumpke’s Palsy – Paralysis of the forearm and hand caused by injury to the lower brachial plexus.

Shoulder Dystocia – Delivery complication that occurs when the baby’s neck suddenly retracts back against the mother’s perineum causing the baby’s anterior shoulder to get caught on the mother’s pubic bone. This complication can result in brain damage, infant death, nerve damage, Klumpke’s palsy or Erb’s palsy.

Facial Paralysis – Caused by damaged facial nerve fibers due to pressure on the baby’s face during labor or birth.

Cephalohematoma – A collection of blood under the periosteum (membrane that lines the outer surface of the skull).

Brain Injury / Head Trauma – Swelling of the scalp, bruising, bleeding in the brain, or hemorrhages.

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension – PPHN in newborns is a serious and sometimes fatal condition that limits the amount of blood flowing to an infant’s lungs and may result in respiratory failure.

Hyploxia / Anoxia – Condition in which there is a decrease of oxygen to an organ’s tissue despite the fact that there is adequate blood flow to the tissue.

Prenatal Asphyxia – Respiratory failure in a newborn, caused by a lack of oxygen before, during, or just after birth.

If you or a loved one has suffered due to any of these birth-related injuries, it’s important to utilize the services of an experienced medical malpractice attorney to determine if the health care provider was negligent, and to aid in the recovery of financial compensation. At Wilhite & Lea, our medical malpractice lawyers are very familiar with the process of investigating these cases, filing a lawsuit, and aggressively litigating these cases to recover fair and just compensation for our clients.

Infant Death Caused by Negligence of a Health Care Provider

There are a number of birth related injuries and complications that can lead to infant death. These are the worst kind of medical malpractice related cases. Health care negligence during pregnancy, delivery, or post-partum care may cause the death of an innocent baby. Fetal death can occur when a doctor or nurse fails to recognize signs of fetal distress or infant illness. When this occurs, health care providers may be found legally liable for the infant’s tragic death.

Some common causes of infant death include:

• Fetal Asphyxia
• Newborn Infections
• Fatal Birth Complications
• Delayed C-Section
• Uterine rupture
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• Brain Injuries
• Preterm birth and low birth weight
• Maternal complications of pregnancy
• Complications of Umbilical Cord, Placenta, and Membranes
• Bacterial Sepsis

Negligence by the health care provider can include:

• Failure to diagnose medical conditions
• Failure to recognize fetal distress
• Negligent monitoring
• Obstetrician negligence
• Delivery room negligence
• Neonatal intensive-care (NICU) negligence

If you have lost an unborn or newborn child and feel that it may have been caused by medical error, the attorneys at Wilhite & Lea are ready to help. When these situations occur, the emotional pain and suffering can affect the parents for years to come. Nothing can replace the loss of a child; however, adequate financial compensation can aid the recovery process for grieving parents. At Wilhite & Lea, our attorneys are experienced in representing parents who have lost a child due to medical malpractice during childbirth.

Birth Injury Support and Resources

BirthInjury.Org – A non-profit organization providing support for families whose lives have been affected by brachial plexus injury, brain injury, or cerebral palsy.

4MyChild – Cerebral Palsy and special needs children’s organization that provides help, support, and informational resources for parents of a child with Cerebral Palsy, Erb’s Palsy, and other neurological injuries.

United Cerebral Palsy – A non-profit organization that provides advocates for and supports children and adults with disabilities.

The Compassionate Friends – A non-profit organization that assists families following the death of a child.

Wilhite & Lea, P.C. | Texas Birth Injury and Wrongful Infant Death Lawyers

The attorneys at Wilhite & Lea are dedicated to helping families who have been the victim of medical malpractice resulting in a birth injury or death of a child. We understand that these situations are traumatizing to everyone in the family. Our firm provides compassionate representation and personalized service. In addition to getting the financial compensation you deserve, we also care about our client’s needs and recovery when faced with a serious birth injury or loss of a child. Contact us today for a free initial consultation to discuss your individual situation with an experienced birth injury attorney.