Aggressive Representation of West Virginia Families Whose Children Have Suffered Birth Injuries

Negligent medical professionals put your child at risk

While it is impossible to list all the forms medical negligence can take, the following is a partial list of the kinds of negligence-related birth trauma we have helped families deal with in the past:

• Cerebral palsy. This disorder of movement, muscle tone, or posture is caused by an injury to the immature, developing brain, usually before birth. It generally causes impaired movement, floppiness or rigidity of the limbs and trunk, abnormal posture, involuntary movements, unsteadiness of walking, or some combination of these. Children with cerebral palsy may have difficulty with swallowing, eye muscle imbalance, and a reduced range of motion at various joints of their bodies due to muscle stiffness.
• Fetal head trauma. This may be caused by cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) or by Pitocin-induced contractions, and may result in intracranial bleeding and pressure. It may also be caused by careless use of instruments such as obstetrical forceps and vacuum aspirators. Failure to timely diagnose and treat fetal head trauma can result in brain damage and developmental problems.
• Brachial plexus injury. When the pelvic bone is blocking a child’s descent into the birth canal, the doctor may either perform an emergency C-section or try to guide the child into position manually. Excessive manual force can injure the fetal brachial plexus, a nerve junction lying between the neck and shoulder. This can cause paralysis to all or part of the arm, forearm, or wrist and hand (such as Erb’s palsy or Klumpke’s palsy).
• Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE). This is brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation. Failure to monitor the fetus for signs of distress puts it at great risk of permanent brain damage. The class of brain injuries caused by decreased blood flow to the brain, which may occur when the umbilical cord encircles the fetus’ neck, is called “cerebral ischemic injury,” and may be fatal.
• Kernicterus. This condition occurs in newborns with severe jaundice. If not diagnosed and treated quickly, excessive bilirubin in the child’s bloodstream may cause permanent brain damage or death.
• Stillbirth. One of the worst tragedies that can befall a family, stillbirth can result from a variety of conditions including poor medical care during pregnancy or errors during labor and delivery.

At Paulson & Nace, our team of West Virginia birth trauma attorneys understands the stresses that a family can undergo at this difficult time in their lives.  If your newborn has suffered a birth injury, you may be tempted to focus exclusively on him or her. However, West Virginia has a statute of limitations in medical malpractice cases, and failure to act within its time constraints may result in your losing the right to bring an action against those responsible for the injury. It is important that you contact an attorney as soon as possible after the injury has occurred to determine what help your family may be given. We offer you a safe space to tell your story to a team that is also a family.

We can help when your child suffers a birth injury

Paulson & Nace, PLLC, our family-owned and managed law firm, is widely recognized throughout West Virginia for our compassionate care and comprehensive legal services to grieving families, as well as our aggressive advocacy for birth injury victims. When you choose a West Virginia birth trauma lawyer from our practice to represent you, you are choosing a team that values family. Please call 304-741-8079 or fill out our contact form to tell us your story in a no-obligation consultation. Our office is located at 3501 Maccorkle Ave SE, Charleston, WV 25304.

We have dedicated our lives to helping medical malpractice victims. Let our family help yours.