For too many Illinois couples, the joy of childbirth suddenly becomes a nightmare. Delivery mistakes can put the lives of the mother, the child or both in jeopardy. When the birth of a child goes wrong, parents are often left with questions, injuries and an uncertain future.
It could take some time to determine the extent of the damage done to the unborn child. While medical professionals attempt to assess whether there will be any lasting effects, an investigation could be conducted in order to determine what exactly happened and who is responsible. Talking to an attorney is often not the first order of business for parents who just discovered that their newborn child could suffer a permanent disability, but getting answers to their questions could require some assistance.
Neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy can require medical care and assistance for the duration of the child’s life. Brachial plexus palsy or Erb’s Palsy are characterized by damage to a bundle of nerves that controls the movement of the arm and hand near the shoulder. Facial paralysis is often caused by an injury to the seventh cranial nerve. All of these are common conditions that are caused by mistakes during delivery that affect the rest of the child’s life.
The life of the child is altered forever, and Illinois parents do what they can to provide their children with as normal a life as possible. Even so, additional medical costs and other damages will be incurred in order to properly care for the child depending on the damage done by the delivery mistakes. A medical malpractice claim might be in order seeking restitution from the parties believed to be responsible and to prevent further errors.