While giving birth to a newborn is bound to be a joyous event for all involved, New York birth injuries can significantly dampen the experience. In these cases, a once-in-a-lifetime occasion can quickly turn into a scary and life-threatening medical emergency.

These medical emergencies are hard to accept when they are the natural consequence of fate. They are infinitely more difficult to accept when they are preventable, and occur only when negligent doctors or nurses make a mistake or are plain inattentive to the needs of your child.

The following types of New York birth injuries are rooted in natural causes, yet still possible for medical professionals to avoid and/or treat:

  • Cerebral Palsy: Some studies have shown that factors such as smoking and alcohol can lead to cerebral palsy. However, medical error on the part of doctors and nurses can also play a part in this type of birth injury, which is caused by a lack of oxygen during birth.
  • Shoulder Dystocia: This type of birth injury, caused when the child's shoulder gets stuck against the mother's pelvis, often leads to damage in the arm. Shoulder dystocia can occur as a result of drugs improperly administered by doctors, as well as other tools (such as vacuum extraction) or mistakes (waiting too long to perform a c-section).
  • Erb's Palsy: Erb's palsy is a more serious form of shoulder dystocia, leading to injury of a child's spine nerves. This usually results in long term or permanent disability of one or more of the child's limbs.

No matter the type of New York birth injury, the costs to all of those involved are great. If your family has suffered a birth injury that was caused by a negligent medical professional, you may be eligible to receive compensation for medical bills, ongoing care or disability, plus pain and emotional suffering.

Call the Manhattan birth injury attorneys at Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine to learn more about these types of cases, or to schedule a free consultation. Call us today toll free at (800) 734-9445 for more information, or visit our Manhattan and Long Island offices in person.