A Guide to Birth Injuries in Virginia: Signs, Causes, and Compensation

Birth injuries in Virginia occur for a variety of reasons, but when medical malpractice is involved, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Of every 1,000 infants born in the U.S., up to eight are born with a birth injury.

Birth injuries range from Erb’s palsy, fetomaternal hemorrhage, shoulder dystocia, and brain damage to anoxia, hypoxia, perinatal asphyxia, and facial paralysis, among others.

A knowledgeable Fairfax birth injury attorney can investigate your case and help you obtain compensation for the lifelong expenses associated with a lifetime of expensive medical treatment and other costs.

Signs of a Birth Injury to Watch Out For

Many parents do not realize that their child was injured during childbirth until it is too late. That is why you should watch out for the following immediate signs and symptoms of a birth injury:

  • Breathing issues

  • Heartbeat irregularities

  • Seizures

  • Cuts or bruising to the head, neck, or face

  • Facial paralysis

  • Fractures

  • Sleeping problems

  • Feeding difficulties

  • Yellow coloring of the skin

  • Weak muscle tone

  • A limp arm

Not all signs of a birth injury are apparent immediately after childbirth, as some symptoms can take months or even years to manifest themselves. Signs of a birth injury that may develop later include:

  • Seizures

  • Hearing or vision problems

  • Involuntary muscle movements

  • Developmental issues with walking, sitting up or crawling

  • Developmental problems with speech or language

  • Poor reflexes

  • Difficulty grasping or holding objects

Causes of Birth Injuries During or After Childbirth

Birth injuries and stillbirth result from one or more of the following factors that can occur before or after childbirth:

  • Inadequate monitoring of the fetus

  • Mismanagement of labor

  • Incorrectly pulling or twisting the infant’s head during the delivery

  • Improper use of medical instruments and tools such as vacuums or forceps during the delivery

  • Unnecessary Cesarean section

  • Failure to perform a timely or necessary C-section

  • Administering inappropriate medications or giving incorrect dosages during the pregnancy

Compensation for Birth Injury in Virginia

If medical negligence on the part of the obstetrician-gynecologist or other members of hospital personnel causes a birth injury, you may pursue compensation for the lifelong expenses caused by the inflicted harm.

However, it is not impossible to determine the exact amount of money you can receive in your medical malpractice case after a birth injury. Each case is unique, which means all factors must be considered by your Fairfax birth injury attorney to evaluate your financial compensation.

If you are eligible to file a birth injury lawsuit in Virginia, you may be entitled to:

  • Medical expenses associated with the birth injury

  • Rehabilitation and therapy costs

  • Pain and suffering endured due to the injury

  • Lost wages associated with the parent’s loss of income due to providing care for the injured baby

  • Compensation for any emotional and psychological effects caused by the birth injury

  • Costs of in-home care and special education

  • Punitive damages

Not all of these damages are applicable in 100 percent of all birth injury-related cases. Talk to our Fairfax birth injury lawyers from Virginia-based law firm Jones & Rostant, PC, to evaluate how much your case is worth. Call at (703) 352-0522 to receive a confidential consultation.


 
Birth InjuryAnn Jones